Unilateral obstruction or injury to the vas deferens can result in significant injury to the contralateral testicle. Although various pathways have been proposed, the mechanism of contralateral testicular deterioration remains controversial. The present animal study was performed to evaluate the effects of unilateral vasectomy on ipsilateral and contralateral testicular histology and fertility in rats that were chemically sympathectomized neonatally. The study comprised 40 male albino rats: 20 received a placebo and the other 20 underwent chemical sympathectomy neonatally. When 60 days old, each group of 20 rats was divided into two groups that underwent either a sham operation or an operation to create unilateral left vasectomy. Eight weeks after surgery, each male rat was housed with two known fertile female rats for 25 days, and then their testes were harvested. Mean seminiferous tubular diameters (MSTD) and mean testicular biopsy scores (MTBS) were determined for each testis. Although MSTD and MTBS were not significantly different between groups, chemical sympathectomy prevented the decrease in total fertility rates of the rats with unilateral left vasectomy in our study. Prevention of this decrease by chemical sympathectomy suggests that the sympathetic nervous system may play a role in the testicular degeneration associated with vasectomy.
Animals ; Female ; Fertility/*drug effects ; Male ; Oxidopamine/toxicity ; Rats ; *Sympathectomy, Chemical ; Testis/drug effects/*pathology ; *Vasectomy

AIMErectile dysfunction may be observed in up to 80% of patients with Peyronie's disease. An objective evaluation of the erectile function is attempted to work out in patients with Peyronie's disease.

METHODSPenile deformity, sexual function and penile vascular status were analyzed in 123 patients with Peyronie's disease, who had not received any pertinent treatment.

RESULTSPenile deformity, palpable plaque and pain on erection were seen in 112 (91%), 97 (78.8%) and 27 (21.9%) of the 123 patients, respectively. Of the 76 patients evaluated by color Doppler ultrasounography, veno-occlusive dysfunction as the vascular component for erectile dysfunction was found in 17 (22.3%), arterial insufficiency in 10 (13.1%) and a mixed picture in 23 (30.2%).

CONCLUSIONThe documentation of penile erectile function and the determination of the vascular status using color Doppler ultrasonography can guide the appropriate therapeutic choice.

Adult ; Aged ; Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Colchicine ; therapeutic use ; Erectile Dysfunction ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Gout Suppressants ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Induration ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Penis ; blood supply ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Vitamin E ; therapeutic use