Persistence or reappearance of nonmotile sperm after vasectomy: does it have clinical consequences?

OBJECTIVE To determine the percentage of patients with nonmotile sperm 12 weeks after vasectomy, to estimate the time needed for eventual azoospermia in these patients, and to record the percentage of patients with recurrence of nonmotile sperm after initial azoospermia after vasectomy. DESIGN A review of the semen analysis of vasectomies performed in a 2-year period. Semen analysis in a group of volunteers from 4 months until 24 months after vasectomy. SETTING Vasectomies performed in an outpatient department of the University Hospital of Maastricht. PATIENT(S) Men referred by the general practitioner for a vasectomy. INTERVENTION(S) Vasectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Amount and motility of sperm in postvasectomy semen samples. RESULT(S) Nonmotile sperm was found in 33% of the patients 12 weeks after vasectomy. The mean time to azoospermia was 6.36 months. Nonmotile sperm after initial azoospermia was found in 5 of 65 patients. CONCLUSION(S) Azoospermia as a criterion for sterility leads to unnecessary prolonged semen analysis in a large percentage of the vasectomized patients. Reappearance of nonmotile sperm was found in an unexpectedly high percentage.