PERSISTENCE OR REAPPEARANCE OF NONMOTILE SPERM AFTER VASECTOMY - DOESIT HAVE CLINICAL CONSEQUENCES

Objective: To determine the percentage of patients with nonmotile sper m 12 weeks after vasectomy, to estimate the time needed fur eventual a zoospermia in these patients, and to record the percentage of patients with recurrence of nonmotile sperm after initial azoospermia after va sectomy. Design: A review of the semen analysis of vasectomies perform ed in a 2-year period. Semen analysis in a group of volunteers from 4 months until 24 months after vasectomy. Setting: Vasectomies performed in an outpatient department of the University Hospital of Maastricht. Patient(s): Men referred by the general practitioner for a vasectomy. Intervention(s): Vasectomy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Amount and motil ity of sperm in postvasectomy semen samples. Result(s): Nonmotile sper m was found in 33% of the patients 12 weeks after vasectomy. The mean time to azoospermia was 6.36 months. Nonmotile sperm after initial azo ospermia was found in 5 of 65 patients. Conclusion(s): Azoospermia as a criterion for sterility leads to unnecessary prolonged semen analysi s in a large percentage of the vasectomized patients. Reappearance of nonmotile sperm was found in an unexpectedly high percentage.