ANALYSIS OF SPERMATOZOA FROM THE PROXIMAL VAS-DEFERENS OF VASECTOMIZED MEN

This study assessed the condition of spermatozoa from the proximal vas deferens of men after vasectomy. The fluids of both proximal vas defe rens were collected from 67 vasectomized men by cannulating the vas de ferens at the time of vasectomy reversal. Selected sperm parameters we re analysed after incubation of the spermatozoa for 30 min at 37 degre es C. Sperm concentration in the proximal vas from vasectomized men (1 6 312 +/- 21 496 million per ml, geometric mean: 7948 +/- 398 million per ml) was significantly higher than that of fertile men and was main tained at a constant level independent of the duration of vas obstruct ion. The means of sperm motility (36.2 +/- 26.2%), spermatozoa with no rmal morphology (50.7 +/- 21.7%), sperm viability (53.0 +/- 25.3%) and hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOS-test, 53.9 +/- 21.7%) were statistica lly lower than the respective values for normal fertile men. There was no significant correlation between the duration of vas obstruction an d the above semen parameters. In 46.4% of vas fluids all spermatozoa w ere immotile and this condition was more common after 3 years of vasec tomy. Immotile spermatozoa in the proximal vas fluids at the time of v asectomy reversal may be an important factor for predicting semen qual ity and fertilizing ability after vasovasostomy. There were no signifi cant differences in the results of sperm-cervical mucus penetration te st (CMPT) between spermatozoa from vasectomized and fertile men. Antis perm antibodies on the surface of spermatozoa from the vas of vasectom ized men were determined by the immunobead test (IBT; 78.6% for IgG, 3 2.1% for IgA) and sperm cervical mucus contact test (SCMC, 36.4%). The presence of antisperm antibodies on the spermatozoa from the vas of v asectomized men may explain, in part, the lower pregnancy rate after v asovasostomy. These parameters of spermatozoa from the proximal vas of vasectomized men may closely reflect those in the cauda epididymis af ter vasectomy.