A second look at Steinach's second procedure: testiculoepididymal occlusion in man and dog

After advocating vas occlusion as a biological method for rejuvenating aging males, Steinach had suggested that the effect might be more pronounced if the obstruction were placed proximal to the epididymis. This Steinach II procedure has now been studied in 15 dogs and five men. Occlusion was performed at the level of the vasa efferentia, avoiding any vascular trauma. Radiological visualization confirmed a perfect block. There were no untoward reactions, such as orchitis or hydrocele. In dogs, widespread degeneration in the seminiferous tubules was evident, and the total Leydig cell volume showed an increase from 0.7 to 1.0 ml/testis. The changes, however, were not significantly different from conventional vasectomy. In men, there were considerable preexisting senile changes, and the total Leydig cell volume was already as high as 2.8 ml/testis. These changes obscured any possible effect of Steinach II operation.