sharedjourney home

Epididymal Blockage and Vas Deferens Blockage

Sometimes, key ducts in your reproductive tract can become blocked for reasons other then a vasectomy. Due to sexually transmitted infections, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, the epididymis can become inflamed and blocked, preventing sperm from flowing out of your testes.

The vas deferens can also become blocked due to these infections, or due to trauma incurred during other surgical procedures. This can prevent sperm from entering into your ejaculate, making pregnancy impossible.

The Procedure

In order to correct a blockage of the vas deferens or epididymis, the tubes must be reconnected. As with vasectomy reversal, the vasovasostomy and epididymostomy procedures are also used.

Success Rates

Success rates are similar to those found in vasectomy reversals. About 60% of men undergoing a vasovasostomy will be able to father a child while about 40% of men undergoing an epididymostomy will father a child.

Ejaculatory Duct Obstruction

About 10% of men who do not have sperm in their semen suffer from an ejaculatory duct blockage. Surgery is available to eliminate such obstructions and restore your ability to father a child.

Ejaculatory duct obstruction can be the result of surgical scarring during vasectomy procedures, cancerous tumors, or cysts that grow in the prostate. These scars, tumors, or cysts can press on the ejaculatory duct preventing sperm from being ejaculated. This will make it impossible for you to fertilize an egg.

The Procedure

Surgery for an ejaculatory duct obstruction can help to restore the ejaculation of semen. The procedure is simple and is usually done on an outpatient basis. Under general or local anesthesia, your surgeon will make a small cut in your testes. Using a special operating microscope, your surgeon will isolate your ejaculatory duct and locate the blockage. This blockage is then removed.

Success Rates

Success rates to restore sperm flow are generally high with this surgery, with more than 70% of men undergoing the procedure able to produce sperm in their semen once again. However, pregnancy rates following this type of surgery are not as optimistic. Between 20% and 30% of these men will go on to father children.

Things To Consider

Surgery is often a big step to take, so it is important to weigh all of your options first. Before booking your surgery, there are many things that you may want to consider. These include:

• the cost of the procedure
• recovery times involved
• alternatives, such as IVF and IUI