INTERMITTENT AZOOSPERMIA ASSOCIATED WITH EPIDIDYMAL SARCOIDOSIS

Objective: To report an unusual case of intermittent azoospermia assoc iated with epididymal sarcoidosis. Design: Retrospective case analysis . Setting: Wilford Hall Medical Center. Patient(s): A 36-year-old male with secondary infertility and epididymal sarcoidosis. Intervention(s ): None. Main Outcome Measures(s): An analysis of sperm count in relat ion to steroid courses. Results(s): Epididymalgia, and to a lesser ext ent, sperm counts were noted to fluctuate temporally around steroid co urses given for pulmonary flares of sarcoidosis. Epididymal sarcoidosi s can be associated with intermittent azoospermia. Presumably. epididy mal granulomas undergo exacerbations and remissions and cause intermit tent ductal obstruction. Conclusions(s): Because of the unpredictable effect of sarcoidosis on the male genital tract, all patients interest ed in paternity should obtain a semen analysis at the rime of disease diagnosis. If oligospermia is noted or if there is clinical evidence o f epididymal involvement, the patient should be offered sperm banking for possible future assisted reproductive techniques. (Fertil Steril(R ) 1998;70:777-9. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicin e.).