Deleterious effects of testicular venous occlusion in young rats

To determine the differences between testicular arterial and venous obstruction, the spermatic artery or vein, or both, were occluded for varying periods of time in young rats. Two months later, at the conclusion of the study, the testes were examined. Histologic degeneration after vascular obstruction was graded by a modified Johnsen's tubular biopsy score (TBS). The testicular concentrations of enzymes (lactic dehydrogenase and sorbitol dehydrogenase), known to decrease with testicular injury, were measured. TBS and seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) were found to decrease significantly after two hours of vascular occlusion and were similar regardless of whether the obstruction was produced by occlusion of arterial inflow or venous drainage, or both. Testicular concentration of enzymes decreased significantly after permanent ligation of the spermatic artery and vein, but decreased minimally when the vascular obstruction lasted less than 120 minutes. Testicular injury produced by venous occlusion was equally severe and occurred as rapidly as injury produced by arterial or combined arteriovenous occlusion. No significant injury was noted in the contralateral testes in any group.