PRESENCE OF SPERM IN THE PRE-VASECTOMY REVERSAL SEMEN ANALYSIS - INCIDENCE AND IMPLICATIONS

Purpose: We determined the incidence of sperm in the ejaculate before vasectomy reversal, and correlated this result with intraoperative and postoperative findings. Materials and Methods: Before vasectomy rever sal semen was analyzed and granulomas were palpated in 186 men. The re sults were correlated with intraoperative vasal fluid and postoperativ e semen analyses. Results: Of 18 men (9.7%) with sperm present in the pre-reversal analysis 94% had sperm in at least 1 vas intraoperatively . The presence of palpable granulomas at the vasectomy site did not co rrelate with either pre-reversal or post-reversal semen analyses, or t he presence of sperm in the vasal fluid intraoperatively. Conclusions: Sperm are present in 9.7% of pre-reversal ejaculates and predict sper m in at least 1 vas intraoperatively. These findings also suggest the possibility of late vasectomy failures.