Male infertility is a common and complex disease in urology and andrology, and for many years there has been no effective surgical treatment. With the emergence of microsurgery and assisted reproductive medicine (IVF/ICSI), rapid development has been achieved in the treatment of male infertility. The Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University has been playing an important leading role in developing microsurgical techniques for the management of male infertility. The development of microsurgical treatment of male infertility in China has experienced the 3 periods of emerging, making, and boosting ever since its systematic introduction from Weill Cornell Medical College 15 years ago. At present, many Chinese hospitals have adopted microsurgery in the management of male infertility, which has contributed to the initial establishment of a microsurgical treatment system for male infertility in China. However, some deficiencies do exist concerning microsurgical treatment of male infertility, as in normalized technical training programs for competent surgeons, unified criteria for evaluation of surgical outcomes, and detailed postoperative follow-up data. This article presents an overview on the 15-year development of microsurgical management of male infertility in China, points out the existing deficiencies, and offers some propositions for the promotion of its development.
China ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery

Varicocele is a most common and surgically correctable cause of male infertility, for which varicocelectomy is the major treatment. Recent years have witnessed a lot of efforts devoted to the pathomechanism of varicocele-induced male infertility and rapid progress in researches on its cellular and molecular mechanisms, mainly including apoptotic abnormality and oxidative stress of germ cells. Meanwhile, researchers are coming to a consensus on the indications of varicocelectomy as well as the advantages and disadvantage of different methods of the procedure. This review updates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of varicocele-induced male infertility and its clinical therapeutic strategies.
Humans ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; surgery ; Male ; Varicocele ; complications ; surgery

Male infertility microsurgery represents the fastest growing sub-specialty in urology and clinical andrology over the past two decades. The importance of microsurgery for male infertility has risen as a part of the urologist's armamentarium in the medical and surgical management of male infertility. Despite the advances in male infertility microsurgery in China, the lack of standardized and well-organized training programs for male infertility microsurgery remains a serious problem affecting its development. In this article, Zhao and Peng have shared their experience with the learning curve of male infertility microsurgery at the Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Microsurgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, which centers on how to pay attention to the details and basic principles of microsurgery. Male infertility microsurgery is physically, technically and mentally challenging, and must be first learned in the laboratory. Clinical success depends heavily upon appropriate training in a microsurgical laboratory. Good training can significantly reduce operation time and surgical errors as well as improve the quality of outcomes.
Andrology ; education ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery ; education

Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; surgery ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome

Varicocele is the most common cause of male infertility and is generally correctable or at least improvable by various surgical and radiologic techniques. Therefore, it seems simple and reasonable that varicocele should be treated in infertile men with varicocele. However, the role of varicocele repair for the treatment of subfertile men has been questioned during the past decades. Although varicocele repair can induce improvement of semen quality, the obvious benefit of spontaneous pregnancy has not been shown through several meta-analyses. Recently, a well-designed randomized clinical trial was introduced, and, subsequently, a novel meta-analysis was published. The results of these studies advocate that varicocele repair be regarded as a standard treatment modality in infertile men with clinical varicocele and abnormal semen parameters, which is also supported by current clinical guidelines. Microsurgical varicocelectomy has been regarded as the gold standard compared to other surgical techniques and radiological management in terms of the recurrence rate and the pregnancy rate. However, none of the methods has been proven through well-designed clinical trials to be superior to the others in the ability to improve fertility. Accordingly, high-quality data from well-designed studies are needed to resolve unanswered questions and update current knowledge. Upcoming trials should be designed to define the best technique and also to define how to select the best candidates who will benefit from varicocele repair.
*Fertility ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/*etiology/surgery ; Male ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/*methods ; Varicocele/complications/*surgery

In this review, we tried to systematize all the evidence (from PubMed [MEDLINE], Scopus, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Embase, and Google Scholar) from 1993 to 2021 on the predictors of microsurgical varicocelectomy efficacy in male infertility treatment. Regarding the outcomes of varicocele repair, we considered semen improvement and pregnancy and analyzed them separately. Based on the 2011 Oxford CEBM Levels of Evidence, we assigned a score to each trial that studied the role of the predictor. We systematized the studied predictors based on the total points, which were, in turn, calculated based on the number and quality of studies that confirmed or rejected the studied predictor as significant, into three levels of significance: predictors of high, moderate, and low clinical significance. Preoperative total motile sperm count (TMSC) coupled with sperm concentration can be a significant predictor of semen improvement and pregnancy after varicocelectomy. In addition, for semen improvement alone, scrotal Doppler ultrasound (DUS) parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), and bilateral varicocelectomy are reliable predictors of microsurgical varicocelectomy efficacy.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Infertility, Male/surgery* ; Microsurgery ; Semen ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Varicocele/surgery*

Varicoceles is the most common identifiable cause of male infertility, and varicocele repair is a major means for the treatment of the disease. Conventional techniques of varicocele repair including Palomo operation, open inguinal varicocelectomy and laparoscopic varicocelectomy have a relatively high rate of postoperative hydrocele formation, varicocele recurrence and testicular artery injury. Recently, microsurgical varicocelectomy has gained a worldwide application in the treatment of varicocele, which can preserve the testicular artery and lymphatic vessels ligate all the spermatic but vasal veins and significantly lower the incidence of the complications. It can improve the semen parameters of male infertility patients and increase the pregnancy rate in their female partners. It can also improve the semen parameters of the patients with non-obstructive azoospermia or severe oligoasthenospermia. Nowadays microsurgical varicocelectomy has become the "golden standard" for the treatment of varicocele.
Humans ; Infertility, Male ; surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Varicocele ; surgery

Ejaculatory duct obstruction is a rare but important cause of male infertility. The differential diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of patients with suspected ejaculatory duct obstruction is described herein. New minimally invasive techniques that can be utilized in both the diagnosis and treatment of ejaculatory duct obstruction are described.
Catheterization ; Ejaculatory Ducts ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of transurethral electrotomy combined with seminal vesiculoscopy ejaculatory duct dilatation in treating patients with Müllerian duct cyst. 
 METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 12 infertile men due to Müllerian duct cyst between 2009 and 2012. They were diagnosed by semen analysis (including quantity of semen, pH and fructose), digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography, magnetic resonance images and aspiration biopsy when necessary. All patients were treated by transurethral electrotomy combined with seminal vesiculoscopy ejaculatory duct dilatation and were followed up for 12 months. 
 RESULTS: A significant improvement of semen quality was achieved after surgery and the sperms could be seen. The patients' semen was analyzed for 3 times in 12 months and the results were normal. Semen volume and pure berries of the patients were increased after the operation compared with those before the operation (P<0.05). Spontaneous pregnancies were achieved in 3 patients 9-12 months after surgery. Four patients' seminal vesicle became smaller obviously.
 CONCLUSION Transurethral electrotomy combined with seminal vesiculoscopy ejaculatory duct dilatation is effective and safe for the treatment of Müllerian duct cyst accompanied with ejaculatory duct obstruction.
Cysts ; surgery ; Dilatation ; Ejaculation ; Ejaculatory Ducts ; surgery ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Mullerian Ducts ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Seminal Vesicles ; surgery ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect of microsurgical vasoepididymostomy and/or vasovasostomy in the treatment of obstructive azoospermia.

METHODSThis study included 76 patients with obstructive azoospermia, 53 treated by bilateral vasoepididymostomy (8 involving the epididymal head, 18 involving the epididymal body, 5 involving the epididymal tail, and 22 involving the epididymal head, body and tail), 14 by unilateral vasoepididymostomy, and the other 9 by unilateral vasoepididymostomy + unilateral vasovasostomy (including cross anastomosis). We followed up the patients for 2 to 16 months for the patency rate, routine semen parameters, and pregnancy outcomes.

RESULTSThe success rate of bilateral vasoepididymostomy, unilateral vasoepididymostomy, and unilateral vasoepididymostomy + unilateral vasovasostomy (including cross anastomosis) were 62.26% (33/53), 35.71% (5/14), and 77.78% (7/9), respectively. The average sperm concentrations in the three groups of patients were (27.9 +/- 5.74), (11.8 +/- 8.33), and (19.9 +/- 7.53) x 10(6)/ml, the average total sperm counts were (65.6 +/- 13.71), (28.0 +/- 15.86), and (69.2 +/- 28.59) x 10(6), and the mean rates of progressively motile sperm were (22.3 +/- 3.18), (11.0 +/- 9.77), and (15.8 +/- 5.05)%, respectively. The success rates of bilateral vasoepididymostomy that involved the epididymal head, body, tail, and all the three parts were 62.5, 72.22, 60, and 54.55%, respectively. Natural pregnancy was achieved in 8 (10.53%) of the total number of cases.

CONCLUSIONMicrosurgery is effective for the treatment obstructive azoospermia. Unilateral vasoepididymostomy + unilateral vasovasostomy is superior to the other procedures, followed by bilateral vasoepididymostomy. Bilateral vasoepididymostomy involving the epididymal body may achieve a slightly better effect than that involving the other epididymal parts.

Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Azoospermia ; etiology ; surgery ; Epididymis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Sperm Count ; Treatment Outcome ; Vas Deferens ; surgery ; Vasovasostomy ; methods