BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of double-armed two-suture longitudinal intussusception microsurgical vasoepididymostomy (LIVE) and single-armed two-suture LIVE techniques in patients with epididymal obstructive azoospermia (EOA). The main outcomes assessed were patency rates, patency time, semen quality and natural pregnancy rates.
METHODS: Data from patients with EOA who underwent two-suture LIVE were obtained from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Weighted data were analyzed using a random-effects model, and weighted mean differences were reported.
RESULTS: A total of 1574 patients with EOA from 24 studies were included. The overall patency rate was approximately 68% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 63-72%), with a patency time of approximately 4.63 months (95% CI: 4.15-5.12). The sperm concentration reached 26.90 million/ml and the sperm motility was 23.74%. The natural pregnancy rate was 38% (95% CI: 31-46%). The different definitions of patency do not seem to have any meaningful impact when comparing patency rates. There was no significant difference in patency rates, patency time, semen quality and natural pregnancy rates between the double-armed and single-armed LIVE techniques.
CONCLUSIONS: The single-armed LIVE is a potential alternative surgical option when high quality double-needle sutures are not easily accessible.

UNASSIGNED: The authors in this paper discuss a rare disease entity that can cause testicular pain and mimic varicocele.
UNASSIGNED: Citing data from a review of the world literature, spermatic cord thrombosis is most often misdiagnosed as an incarcerated inguinal hernia. Patients usually complain of pain and swelling of the testicle, pain in the inguinal region, and sometimes a palpable mass in the inguinal region.
UNASSIGNED: Ultrasonography with colour Doppler usually establishes the correct diagnosis. Currently, there are no official recommendations for the treatment of this disease.There are reports of conservative treatment of spermatic cord thrombosis in the world literature. However, it seems that the gold standard of management remains surgical exploration, which allows us to unequivocally establish the correct diagnosis. In cases of co-morbid thrombosis with spermatic cord varicocelectomy is recommended.
UNASSIGNED: Due to the rarity of this disease, the topic of this article was undertaken. The paper reviews the world literature relating to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease entity. Our own algorithm for the management of spermatic cord thrombosis is proposed.

BACKGROUND: Since the release of the combined oral contraceptive pill in 1960, women have shouldered the burden of contraception and family planning. Over 60 years later, this is still the case as the only practical, effective contraceptive options available to men are condoms and vasectomy. However, there are now a variety of promising hormonal and non-hormonal male contraceptive options being studied. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide clinicians and laypeople with focused, up-to-date descriptions of novel strategies and targets for male contraception. We include a cautiously optimistic discussion of benefits and potential drawbacks, highlighting several methods in preclinical and clinical stages of development.
RESULTS: As of June 2023, two hormonal male contraceptive methods are undergoing phase II clinical trials for safety and efficacy. A large-scale, international phase IIb trial investigating efficacy of transdermal segesterone acetate (Nestorone) plus testosterone gel has enrolled over 460 couples with completion estimated for late 2024. A second hormonal method, dimethandrolone undecanoate, is in two clinical trials focusing on safety, pharmacodynamics, suppression of spermatogenesis and hormones; the first of these two is estimated for completion in December 2024. There are also several non-hormonal methods with strong potential in preclinical stages of development.
CONCLUSIONS: There exist several hurdles to novel male contraception. Therapeutic development takes decades of time, meticulous work, and financial investment, but with so many strong candidates it is our hope that there will soon be several safe, effective, and reversible contraceptive options available to male patients.
RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: Depuis la sortie de la pilule contraceptive orale combinée en 1960, les femmes ont assumé le fardeau de la contraception et de la planification familiale. Plus de 60 ans plus tard, c’est toujours le cas, car les seules options contraceptives pratiques et efficaces disponibles pour les hommes sont les préservatifs et la vasectomie. Cependant, il existe maintenant une variété d’options contraceptives masculines hormonales et non hormonales prometteuses qui sont à l’étude. Le but de cette revue narrative est de fournir aux cliniciens et aux profanes des descriptions ciblées et à jour de nouvelles stratégies et cibles pour la contraception masculine. Nous incluons une discussion prudemment optimiste sur les avantages et les inconvénients potentiels, en soulignant plusieurs méthodes aux stades précliniques et cliniques du développement. RéSULTATS: En juin 2023, deux méthodes contraceptives masculines hormonales faisaient l’objet d’essais cliniques de phase II pour leur innocuité et leur efficacité. Un essai international de phase IIb à grande échelle, portant sur l’efficacité de l’acétate de ségestérone transdermique (Nestorone) et du gel de testostérone, a recruté plus de 460 couples et devrait être achevé pour la fin de 2024. Une seconde méthode hormonale, l’undécanoate de diméthandrolone, fait l’objet de deux essais cliniques axés sur l’innocuité, la pharmacodynamique, la suppression de la spermatogenèse et des hormones; le premier de ces deux essais devrait être achevé en décembre 2024. Il existe également plusieurs méthodes non hormonales à fort potentiel aux stades précliniques de développement. CONCLUSIONS: Il existe plusieurs obstacles à la nouvelle contraception masculine. Le développement thérapeutique nécessite des décennies de temps, un travail méticuleux et un investissement financier ; mais avec autant de candidats solides, nous espérons qu’il y aura bientôt plusieurs options contraceptives sûres, efficaces et réversibles, disponibles pour les hommes.

Obstructive azoospermia (OA) is an important cause of male infertility, and epididymal OA (EOA) is a common disease. Microsurgical reconstruction is a common technique used in the treatment of EOA. In the present study, we analyzed the effectiveness of microsurgical vasoepididymostomy (MVE) at different levels and compared the differences among several MVE techniques.
A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The included studies were published in English until May 14, 2021. The R 4.1.2 software was utilized to evaluate the event rate, risk ratio (RR), and 95% confidence interval (CI).
A total of 51 studies involving 2853 patients with OA were included in our meta-analysis. The overall mean patency rate of patients who underwent MVE was 67.20% (95% [CI]:63.30%-71.10%), and the overall mean natural pregnancy rate of their partners was 40.05% (95% [CI]: 35.30%-45.60%). The pooled results showed that the patency rate of bilateral MVE was higher than that of unilateral MVE (RR = 1.42; 95% [CI]:1.25-1.61; p < 0.00). A comparison of the anastomotic site of MVE showed that the caudal/corpus area was favorable for the patency rate (RR = 1.17; 95% [CI]:1.04 - 1.32; p < 0.00). The caudal area was also advantageous for the patency rate (RR = 1.20; 95% CI:1.03 - 1.41; p < 0.04). Compared with typical MVE (65.20%, 95% [CI]:61.40%-69.10%), deferential vessel-sparing MVE with a higher overall mean patency rate (83.60%, 95% [CI]:75.40%-91.70%).
The meta-analyses indicated that MVE is a high- and cost-effective therapeutic method for patients with EOA, and deferential vessel-sparing MVE could be mainstream in the near future.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of 47, XYY syndrome in live-born male infants is 1/1000. Due to its variable clinical symptoms, the diagnosis is easy to miss. The incidence of congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) in infertile men is 1-2%. The main cause is the mutation of CFTR and ADGAG2 genes.
METHODS: The patient was a 33-year-old man who visited a doctor 5 years ago due to infertility. The investigation revealed that the patient\'s secondary sexual characteristics, testicular, and penis development were normal, and there was no gynecomastia, but the bilateral vas deferens and epididymis were not palpable. Transrectal ultrasound showed that the left seminal vesicle was missing, and the right seminal vesicle was atrophied. No abnormality was observed in Y chromosome microdeletion. Karyotype analysis indicated that the patient was 46, XY/47, XYY mosaic. Genetic testing found heterozygous mutations at two sites of CFTR (c263T > G and c2249C > T).
CONCLUSIONS: Herein, we report the rare case of a male patient with clinical manifestations of infertility, chromosome 46, XY/47, XXY mosaic type, simultaneously manifested as the absence of bilateral vas deferens. Two pathogenic heterozygous CFTR gene mutations were found. Given the low genetic risk of the disease, we recommend that patients undergo intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for fertility assessment.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene encodes the synthesis of a protein of the same name, which functions as a direct activator of anionic transport. Chloride is the most abundant anion; as an antagonist of Na+ and K+, it provides electroneutrality of cell membranes at rest; together with cations, it serves as an important osmolyte and forms water flow across cell membranes for transepithelial secretion.Glandular cells in CF trap Cl- and Na+, and the prodused secretion is excessively viscous. Subnormal CFTR activity leads to stagnation of mucociliary clearance, inhibition of intestinal transport.In addition to exocrine disorders, CFTR mutations are associated with a decrease in volume, mass, increased apoptosis of β-cells of the pancreas, a significant suppression of insulin exocytosis in response to stimulation with glucose and glucagon-like peptide-1, hyperglucagonemia against the background of a defect in the suppression of α-cell function by insulin, but a decrease in maximum capacity α-cells.Deficiency and progressive decline in bone mineral density is an expected secondary manifestation of CF due to pancreatic exocrine insufficiency with malabsorption of nutrients and fat-soluble vitamins. However, in patients with the F508del mutation, a significant decrease in the synthesis of OPG, COX-2, PGE2 in the osteoblastic formation, and an increase in the activity of the antianabolic NF-kB were found. We are talking about a defect in the canonical signaling pathway (Wnt/β-catenin), which regulates the expression of genes-activators of osteoblastogenesis, dissociation of the stages of physiological bone remodeling.In addition to congenital bilateral or unilateral aplasia of the vas deferens, an increase in the frequency of CFTR mutations is also found in non-obstructive azoospermia, oligo-, astheno- and teratospermia. CFTR is involved in the entry of HCO3- into Sertoli cells to trigger cAMP-dependent transcription and its defects lead to suppression of FSH-dependent gene expression of spermatogenesis, loss of sequence in the Wnt cascade, destruction of the PGE2-dependent transepithelial interaction and, as a consequence, the blood-testicular barrier.CF is characterized, along with classical signs, by endocrine dysfunction of the pancreas, osteoporosis with suppression of osteoblastogenesis, and a defect in spermatogenesis.

An electronic-based search was performed with MEDLINE bases through PubMed, Cochrane through Central, and Embase until August 2020 for the purpose of evaluating the impact of the aetiology of obstructive azoospermia on ICSI cycles. In the final analysis, there were 15 cohort studies included, comparing a group of patients with acquired azoospermia and others due to congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens submitted to ICSI. Those 15 articles within 4,480 couples were analysed, and similar fertilisation rate (65.1% vs. 65.3%; p = .38), pregnancy rate per cycle (40.0% vs. 43.1%; p = .06) and live birth rate (29.6% vs. 30.0%;p = .76) were found between groups. Comparing specifically post-vasectomy azoospermia and congenital groups, both presented a similar fertilisation rate (62.4% vs. 53.4%, respectively; OR 1.10; 95% CI, 0.79, 1.54; p = .56; I2  = 89%) and pregnancy rate per cycle (39.4% vs. 35.6%, respectively; OR 1.26; 95% CI, 0.96, 1.66; p = .09; I2  = 0%). However, a higher live birth rate was identified in the congenital group compared to vasectomy group (28.4% × 19.5%; OR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.11, 2.15; p = .01; I2  = 0%). The reasons for that are unclear and factors such as couple age and sperm DNA fragmentation should be considered.

Arteriovenous haemangioma of the vas deferens is an extremely rare entity in clinical practice. To date, there have been no clinical or pathological cases reported in Medline, Embase or other published English literature. Herein, a 50-year-old male who presented with right scrotal pain for 4 years after vasectomy was admitted to our hospital. One painful nodule was palpable in the right scrotum on physical examination. Color Doppler ultrasound merely showed dilation of the epididymis and no additional information concerning the painful nodule in the right scrotum. Moreover, the laboratory test results were all within normal limits. Ibuprofen was administered to the patient for 2 months with a poor effect, and then spermatic cord block significantly relieved his symptoms. This patient underwent resection of the right painful nodule of the vas deferens under medical advice. Postoperative pathological examinations showed arteriovenous haemangioma of the vas deferens. There were no obvious complications after arteriovenous haemangioma excision, and the right scrotal pain was significantly relieved 1 month later. This article reminds urologists and oncologists that haemangioma can involve the vas deferens and, in addition to spermatic granuloma, might be a cause of post-vasectomy pain syndrome. Cauterization of the vas deferens might have a potential relationship with haemangioma.

Duplication of vas deferens is a very rare anomaly which two vasa deferentia are found in the spermatic cord. It can be recognised during autopsy or cadaveric dissection and also several surgical procedures which require spermatic cord dissection including inguinal hernia repair, orchiopexy, vasectomy, varicocelectomy, vasectomy reversal and radical prostatectomy. Recognition of the duplicated vas deferens is important to avoid surgical complications such as an unsuccessful vasectomy or transection of the vas. It was reported in only three cadavers and 31 patients since 1959. In this study, we describe a new case of duplicated vas deferens found incidentally during routine inguinal hernia repair in a 66-year-old patient. We also review all previously reported cases in the literature to draw attention to this rare but important anomaly.

Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is predominantly caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CBAVD accounts for 2‑6% of male infertility cases and up to 25% of cases of obstructive azoospermia. With the use of pre‑implantation genetic diagnosis, testicular or epididymal sperm aspiration, intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization, patients affected by CBAVD are able to have children who do not carry CFTR gene mutations, thereby preventing disease. Therefore, genetic counseling should be provided to couples receiving assisted reproductive techniques to discuss the impact of CFTR gene mutations on reproductive health. In the present article, the current literature concerning the CFTR gene and its association with CBAVD is reviewed.