Congenital absence of the vas deferens

Absence of a vas deferens is a marker for more serious anomalies of the genitourinary tract. It is highly probable that the ipsilateral kidney, ureter or bladder is deformed or absent. The complete physical examination and the preoperative examination for vasectomy should include palpation to identify the vas. The existence of an accessory vas could explain failure of azoospermia following a ligation procedure.