Treatment for Blocked Sperm Transport Tubes

Have you been diagnosed with azoospermia? It is one of the types of infertility in men. One of the reasons that cause Azoospermia is epididymis obstruction. The epididymis is one of the important parts in a male reproductive system that attaches directly to testis. It consists of a central portion, body, upper enlarged part called the head, and lower part, the tail which is continuous with the vas deferens. It is a narrow duct, which is around 20ft in length, coiled up inside the scrotum.
The main function of this duct is to transport the sperm to the ejaculatory ducts. When a man suffers from epididymis obstruction, it means that there is some kind of cyst or blockage that obstructs the sperms from swimming to the ducts. Sometimes the ejaculatory ducts also can have blockages. Let's take a look at the causes, symptoms, and treatments available to treat this condition.

Causes of Sperm Blockage

• Injury of testicular tubes
• Infection of the testicular tubes
• Congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD)
• Vasectomy or a failed vasectomy reversal.

Sperm Blockage Treatment

If there are any blocks in the epididymis or the ejaculatory ducts, it can be surgically treated. The following are some of the recommended surgeries:

Vasectomy Reversal

If you have had a vasectomy before and recently decided that you want to have a baby, you can undergo a vasectomy reversal surgery.

Vasoepididymostomy

This surgery can be done if the blockage is caused due to infection or unexplained reasons. The blockage is first removed and then connected the epididymis to the vas deferens.

Vasovasostomy

This is a surgical procedure which removes the blockage and connects both the sides of the vas deferens.

Transurethral Resection of the Ejaculatory Ducts (TURED)

Blockage in the ejaculatory ducts is typically rare. TURED is the surgical procedure recommended for those with this condition.
Apart from surgical procedures, some doctors may recommend sperm retrieval technique for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as well. Sperm  retrieval techniques like Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration(PESA)  are used to retrieve sperms. The sperm cell is first retrieved from the male, fertilised with the egg in a dish, and transferred to the female's womb.