Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Vessel-Sparing Microsurgical Longitudinal Intussusception Vasoepididymostomy to Treat Epididymal Obstructive Azoospermia
Published on: May 27, 2022
[Pathologic features of the epididymis in patients with epididymal obstructive azoospermia: Observation of 11 cases]
1Department of Urology,The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China.
Objective:
To search for potential therapeutic targets for epididymal obstructive azoospermia (EOA) secondary to epididymal infection by observing the pathologic features and analyzing the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms of the disease.
Methods:
Eleven 28-53 years old infertile men with the history of epididymal infection were enrolled in this study, all diagnosed with azoospermia by routine semen examination and centrifugation. EOA was confirmed by further examinations of reproductive hormones and seminal plasma biochemical markers and scrotal ultrasonography, followed by surgical exploration and observation of the pathological characteristics of the epididymis.
Results:
The gross epididymal specimen showed fluid accumulation in the epididymal tube to be the main pathologic feature. Under the microscope, the epididymal duct lumen was structurally intact but distended and with no sperm. Most of the cases revealed no inflammatory cell invasion in the wall of the duct. A small number of the patients with a longer course of disease exhibited cell infiltration in the lumen, hyperblastosis and glassy degeneration of the interstitial fibers, and scattered infiltration of lymphocytes and acidocytes in addition to expansion of the epididymal duct.
Conclusions:
EOA secondary to epididymal infection is pathologically characterized mainly by fluid accumulation in the epididymal duct, and its pathogenesis remains to be further studied.
Related Concept Videos
Naturalistic Observations
Toxidromes: Clinical Features
Observational Learning
Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...
Actor-Observer Effect
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...

