The clinical application of aspiration deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry to neurologically impaired men entering...

For the neurologically impaired patient electroejaculation with a rectal probe can furnish sperm for artificial insemination. However, documentation of pregnancies in this patient group has been limited. Deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry has been shown to be a reproducible quantitative method with which to evaluate spermatogenesis. We assessed the ability of deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry on testicular aspirates to predict the quality of sperm production in 13 men undergoing electroejaculation. Semen analysis was performed on antegrade and retrograde specimens. Deoxyribonucleic acid histograms from testicular aspirates were evaluated for the relative proportions of haploid, diploid and tetraploid cells. These ratios were compared to the means reported for our own series of 25 patients who at vasovasostomy had sperm intraoperatively and to the similar figures from a group of 10 accident victims. Five patients had normal testicular ploidy compartments defined as within 2 standard deviations from control means. Of the 5 patients 4 had normal sperm counts and motilities (30 per cent or greater). Two patients have contributed sperm for artificial insemination; 1 has resulted in pregnancy. Three patients had moderately abnormal (2 to 4 standard deviations) testicular ploidy classes. These patients had adequate sperm counts but low motilities (5 per cent or less). Of the 5 patients with markedly abnormal (greater than 4 standard deviations) histograms 4 remained azoospermic despite repeated attempts at electroejaculation. Our data support the use of deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry on testicular aspirates as a predictor of which patients might succeed and those who are unlikely to succeed in an electroejaculation program.