Vessel-Sparing Microsurgical Longitudinal Intussusception Vasoepididymostomy to Treat Epididymal Obstructive Azoospermia

Summary

The present protocol describes a vessel-sparing, longitudinal intussusception vasoepididymostomy using readily available single-needle sutures in China, a safe and effective procedure, which may improve patients' patency and natural pregnancy rates.

Abstract

The epididymis is a common site of obstruction in obstructive azoospermia (OA). Vasoepididymostomy has become an important method for the treatment of epididymal OA since 2000. There are two challenges in classic microscopic vasoepididymostomy. First, anastomosis of the vas deferens and epididymis is performed with double-needle sutures. However, there is a lack of good-quality and cost-effective double-needle sutures in China, which leads to increased difficulty and poor success rates of anastomosis. Second, the separation of the vas deferens does not retain vasculature, although the vas deferens vasculature plays an important role in the blood supply to the vas deferens, epididymis, and testis. This affects the blood supply to the anastomotic area and epididymis.

Therefore, this team has made innovative improvements to address these problems. Good-quality, cost-effective, single-needle sutures, which are easy to purchase in China and other countries, were used in microsurgical longitudinal intussusception vasoepididymostomy. This can optimize the operation procedure and shorten the operation time while ensuring the success rate of the anastomosis. The surgical method of preserving the vas deferens vessels was innovatively proposed because the etiology of epididymal OA is mostly inflammatory in China. The protection of the blood supply to the vas deferens and epididymis is maximized using microsurgical forceps to separate and protect the vasculature. Patency reached 81.7% in the postoperative follow-up, indicating a better surgical treatment effect.

Introduction

The number of infertile couples has been increasing annually; OA occurs in 20%-40% of azoospermia cases in men of reproductive age¹. Epididymal obstruction accounts for approximately 30% of OA cases and is one of the most common obstruction sites. However, this proportion may be higher in China^2,3. The treatment for OA varies depending on the site of the obstruction. The common causes of OA include vasectomy, genitourinary tract infection, genitourinary tuberculosis, iatrogenic injury, and idiopathic obstruction. The etiology of OA in China is mostly epididymal obstruction caused by gen....

Protocol

The study was approved by the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. Diagnostic criteria, surgical indications, and contraindications were in accordance with the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Andrology and Expert Consensus of the Chinese Society of Andrology and the European Association of Urology Guidelines for Sexual and Reproductive Health. A patient would be excluded from this study if the female partner had medical conditions that affect fertility.

1. Instruments for operation

1. Ensure the availability of sterilized instruments and other equipment mentioned in the Table of Ma....

Results

A study included 92 men who were diagnosed with azoospermia secondary to epididymal obstruction in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, and who underwent operation between January 2017 and December 2018. The average age of the 92 males was 30.77 ± 5.38 years (range: 20-47 years) (Table 1). All men underwent the bilateral vessel-sparing, modified, single-armed technique for LIVE, and the mean operation time was 223.59 ± 31.73 min. No postoperative complications or sev.......

Discussion

Genitourinary tract infections and epididymitis are common causes of epididymal OA. VE has become an important method to treat epididymal OA and has been applied in clinics since 2000⁴. Anastomosis of the vas deferens and epididymis is performed with double-needle sutures without preserving vessels of the vas deferens in the classic MVE^6,8,9. Because double-needle sutures are expensive and not readily ava.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.9% sodium chloride solution	Guangdong Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. LTD	21M1204	Dilute antibiotics, irrigate.
1 mL syringe	Kindly Medical, Shanghai	K20210826	inject diluted methylene blue or 0.9% sodium chloride solution
1% iodophor	Guangzhou Qingfeng Disinfection Products Co., LTD	Q/QFXD2	Disinfect the surgical area.
10-0 polypropylene sutures	Ethicon, LLC	REBBES	Used when anastomosing.
3-0 polyglactin 910 sutures	Ethicon, LLC	RGMCLH	Suture skin incisions at the end of surgery.
5-0 polyglactin 910 sutures	Ethicon, LLC	RBMMPQ	Suture skin incisions at the end of surgery.
8-0 polypropylene sutures	Ethicon, LLC	RDBBLS	Used when anastomosing.
9-0 polypropylene sutures	Ethicon, LLC	RABDTE	Used when anastomosing.
F16 urinary catheter	Well Lead Medical, Guangzhou	20190612	Drainage of urine due to long operation time.
micro haemostatic forceps	Shanghai Surgical Instrument Factory	W40350	Used in surgical procedures
micro scissors	Cheng-He,NingBo	HC-A008	Used in surgical procedures
micro tweezers	Cheng-He,NingBo	HC-A002	Used in surgical procedures
microneedle holder	Cheng-He,NingBo	HC-GN006	Used in surgical procedures
ophthalmic scissors	Shanghai Surgical Instrument Factory	Y00040	Used in surgical procedures
polyglactin 910 sutures	Ethicon, LLC	RBMMPQ	Suture skin incisions at the end of surgery.
silk braided non-absorbable suture	Ethicon, LLC	SB84G	ligate the broken end of the vas deferens
skin marker	Medplus Inc.	21120206	Mark surgical incisions and suture sites.
surgical microscope Carl Zeiss S88	Carl Zeiss	Carl Zeiss S88	Enlarge your field of vision during surgery.
vas-fixation clamp	Shanghai Surgical Instrument Factory	JCZ220	Used in surgical procedures