FIBRIN GLUE AND CONVENTIONAL SUTURED VASAL ANASTOMOSIS IN THE RAT

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the use of fibrin glue (T isseel, Immune U.S., Inc) for vaso vasostomy and to compare this techn ique to conventional sutured vasovasostomy. Thirty immature Sprague-Da wley rats, weighing from 60 to 80 g, were used in this study. A conven tional one-layer sutured anastomosis (Ethilon 10-O) in 10 rats was com pared to a fibrin glue technique of vasal anastomosis (10 rats). The f ibrin glue technique was performed without sutures and was unstented. The biological glue was utilized to seal both ends of the vas. The con tralateral vas was ligated with 5-O prolein. In the control group (10 rats) the left vas was ligated in the same way, and only the contralat eral vas was explored. After 2 months, one male and two female rats we re placed in a cage for a further 2 months. At the end of this period, the fertility rate was 80% (n = 8) of the control group, 60% (n = 6) of the conventional anastomosis, and 70% (n = 7) of fibrin glue groups , respectively. The testes and vasal specimens were evaluated for the presence of sperm granuloma, and histologic studies were performed. Th e incidence of sperm granuloma after vasovasostomy was 20% (n = 2) for the fibrin glue group and 30% (n = 3) for the sutured group. The sper ms were seen in the proximal and distal side of the vasal anastomosis in 10 rats in the control group, in 8 in the glue group, and in 8 in t he conventional sutured anastomosis group. Histology of testes reveale d similar morphological changes in the area of anastomosis with both t echniques. Operative time for sutured vasovasostomy averaged 31 min co mpared to an average of 10 min for the glue group. This study indicate s that fibrin glue is a potentially useful adjunct to vasovasostomy. ( C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.