Treatable “azoospermia”

Azoospermia is a common cause of male infertility, and less than 5% of cases can be treated with traditional methods, so it is often considered the “incurable” form of infertility. Many azoospermia patients ask their doctors directly if IVF is available to help them conceive, or even ask for artificial insemination. The following types of azoospermia are commonly seen in outpatient clinics: 1. True azoospermia 1. Non-obstructive azoospermia: These patients have spermatogenic dysfunction or damage to the testes due to various reasons, so that they cannot produce sperm, resulting in no sperm being found in the semen. However, if the gonadal axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-testes) is insufficient for gonadotropin release, resulting in small testicular development and low testosterone production, thus causing spermatogenic dysfunction, gonadotropin supplementation can be used to promote male body development, including testicular development, and even restore spermatogenic function. 2, obstructive azoospermia: as the name implies, refers to the normal spermatogenic function of the testes, but the existence of obstruction of the vas deferens, resulting in no sperm detection in the semen. Obstructive azoospermia is usually caused by inflammation, trauma, congenital developmental abnormalities, vasectomy and other factors. If preoperative examination: no spermatozoa in semen, physical examination reveals vas deferens, epididymal sclerosis, etc., and normal serum sex hormones, it often indicates the presence of obstruction in the vas deferens. For azoospermia with a history of bilateral groin surgery, the possibility of obstruction should also be considered. Nowadays, with the improvement of medical technology, patients with local obstructive azoospermia can have their vas deferens recanalized through microsurgical techniques for the chance of natural conception. Vasectomy recanalization has the following advantages over assisted reproductive techniques: high sperm viability in semen; less genetic risk; low risk of multiple births; less physiological disturbance in women; easy psychological and emotional acceptance by patients and families; surgical trauma does not affect sexual function; low medical costs for the procedure; and failure of the procedure can still lead to fertility with assisted techniques. Differing from traditional techniques, microscopic techniques have the following advantages: avoiding tissue embedding, which causes lumen narrowing; avoiding poor mucosal alignment, which leads to chronic obstruction; allowing for multi-layer suturing, which reduces seminal cyst formation; and obtaining good anastomosis even in the case of mismatched tube diameters at both ends of the anastomosis. However, there is still no good means of recanalization for vas deficiency. The first one is the reverse ejaculation: as the name suggests, the semen is not eliminated from the body along the urethra during ejaculation, but flows backwards into the bladder. This is a common occurrence in patients with diabetes, urethral injury, and compression of the urethra without ejaculation. It is characterized by a feeling of ejaculation, a small amount of ejaculation, and cloudy urine visible when urinating after ejaculation. Examination then reveals sperm in the urine. Solutions: Improve ejaculation habits, control diabetes, and screen sperm in urine for artificial insemination or IVF to help conception. 2. Occult azoospermia: These patients do not have no sperm in their semen, but because the number of sperm is extremely reduced, sperm can be found in the sediment after centrifugation of semen. Most of them are caused by testicular sperm production disorders. The solutions are: pharmacological spermatogenic treatment, IVF to help conception. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with azoospermia should go to a regular hospital for a comprehensive examination and then consult a professional doctor before choosing a suitable treatment plan.