A. Shafik, ELECTROVASOGRAM IN NORMAL AND VASECTOMIZED MEN AND PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA AND ABSENT VAS-DEFERENS, Archives of andrology, 36(1), 1996, pp. 67-79
The electric activity of the vas deferens (VD) or the electrovasogram
(EVG) was recorded in 34 healthy volunteers (mean age 39.3 +/- 7.6 [SD
] years), 22 patients with obstructive azoospermia (mean age 38.8 +/-
9.2 years), 10 after epididymovasostomy performed for obstructive azoo
spermia (mean age 40.6 +/- 4.8 years), 9 with bilaterally absent vasa
deferentia (mean age 36.6 +/- 7.4 years), 20 after vasectomy (mean age
44.3 +/- 7.9 years), and 18 after vasectomy reversal (mean age 58.6 /- 6.8 years). Silver-silver chloride electrodes were applied to the p
osterior aspect of the upper part of the scrotum and a reference elect
rode was applied to the lower limb. The intravasal pressure was also m
easured in 18 subjects during vasectomy reversal operation. Normal EVG
manifested as regular slow waves or pacesetter potentials (PPs) which
had the same frequency, amplitude, and regular rhythm when the test w
as repeated in the individual subject. Mean frequency was 6.6 +/- 1.5
cycles/min, amplitude was 0.6 +/- 0.1 mV, and velocity was 5.6 +/- 1.1
cm/s. PPs were followed randomly by action potentials (APs). The EVG
in obstructive azoospermia exhibited bradyvasa, i.e., diminished PP fr
equency, amplitude, and velocity, in 14 patients and a ''silent'' EVG
in 8 patients. Eight of the 10 patients in whom azoospermia persisted
after epididymovasostomy had a silent EVG, and the remaining 2 patient
s whose semen character normalized after the operation revealed normal
EVG. A silent EVG was also recorded by the 9 patients with absent vas
a deferentia. In vasectomized subjects, PPs from the proximal vasal se
gment exhibited an irregular rhythm (vasoarrhythmia). During vasectomy
reversal, the proximal vasal segment exhibited vasoarrhythmia and hig
h pressure (p <.05) and the distal segment showed a silent EVG and nor
mal pressure (p >.05). EVG performed postvasectomy reversal by 1-6 yea
rs showed a normal pattern in 7 subjects who have impregnated their wi
ves and vasoarrhythmic EVG in 11 who could not produce pregnancy. In c
onclusion, EVG could be characterized for normal and pathologic vasa d
eferentia. Electrovasography is a simple, noninvasive, and nonradiolog
ic technique that might be used as a diagnostic tool in the investigat
ion of VD disorders and infertility.