Experimental approaches towards testicular autotransplantation

An experimental approach was designed to analyse the outcome of testicular autotransplantation after microsurgery of arteries with 0.3-0.6 mm diameter in two different animal species. In particular, the patency of the anastomosis of the vessels, as well as testicular histology and fertility, was studied. In rats as well in rabbits, we could not observe contralateral damage after testicular autotransplantation. With the rabbit model, we can achieve a fertility rate of 37.5%; but only when we have a good patent anastomosis. Whereas, the rat model is good for surgical training of microvascular anastomosis; the quality of the microanastomosis shows no correlation to the testicular histology of the transplanted testis.