THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL SYMPATHECTOMY ON CONTRALATERAL TESTICULAR HISTOLOGY, FERTILITY AND FECUNDITY IN UNILATERAL ABDOMINAL TESTES

Objective To evaluate the effects of abdominal testis on ipsilateraI a nd contralateral testicular histology, fertility and fecundity in rats which were chemically sympathectomized neonatally. Materials and meth ods The study comprised 60 male albino rats, 30 receiving a placebo an d 30 a chemical sympathectomic agent neonatally. When 21 days old, the two groups of 30 rats were each divided into three groups and underwe nt a control operation or abdominal fixation of one or both testes. Af ter they were 8 weeks old, each male rat was housed with two fertile f emale rats for 25 days, after which their testes were harvested. Femal es were observed for an additional 25 days and any pregnancies and the number of offspring mean testicular biopsy scores were determined for each testis. Results Although fertility and fecundity rates and mean testicular biopsy scores were not significantly different, chemical sy mpathectomy prevented the decrease in mean seminiferous tubular diamet ers which occurred in the contralateral testis. Conclusion Chemical sy mpathectomy protected contralateral testicular histology to some degre e. Therefore, the sympathetic system may play a role in contralateral testicular deterioration.