Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40236466›Full record

ArticleEuropean urology open science2025

Prognostic Factors for Pregnancy and Patency Rates After Microsurgery for Obstruction of the Upper Seminal Tract: A Retrospective Single-surgeon Series of 336 Cases.

Marco A Sieber, Jan Blaser, Roland Seiler, Dominik Abt, Jennifer Blarer, Adrian Sieber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European urology open science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Marco A SieberUrology Department, Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.
Jan BlaserUrology Department, Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.
Roland SeilerUrology Department, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Dominik AbtUrology Department, Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.
Jennifer BlarerUrology Department, Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.
Adrian SieberUrology Department, Spitalzentrum Biel, Biel, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and objective: To achieve optimal results in treating vasal obstruction, microsurgery is the standard of care. However, not all vasovasostomy (VV) or vasoepididymostomy (VE) procedures lead to subsequent pregnancy. Identification of parameters that can predict success in restoring fertility is clinically relevant. We evaluated various parameters in relation to patency and pregnancy outcomes in a retrospective single-surgeon series. Methods: We analysed data for 336 men with azoospermia due to vasal obstruction who underwent microsurgery to restore fertility. Seminal fluid was harvested intraoperatively from the testicular stump for analysis of gross quality. Intraoperative parameters, time to conception, patency rate, age of the female partner, and time from vasectomy to reconstruction were assessed in relation to pregnancy outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent prognostic parameters. Key findings and limitations: The median age at surgery was 42 (range 27-70) yr for the men and 33 (range 19-46) yr for their female partners. The overall patency rate after surgery was 86.8% (236/272). Secondary obstruction occurred in 14/272 men (5.1%). Pregnancy was achieved in 127/258 couples (49.2%). The most significant predictor of successful treatment was the obstruction time ( Conclusions and clinical implications: Patency and pregnancy rates in our series are similar to rates reported in the literature. Pregnancy success after vasectomy reversal mainly depends on the time since vasectomy. Additional biomarkers are needed to predict postoperative pregnancy outcomes. Patient summary: In our study, nearly 87% of men were fertile again after surgery to reverse a vasectomy, and about half of the couples were then able to get pregnant. The key factor for success was the time since vasectomy, with better results for shorter times. More research is needed to find reliable ways to predict if a couple will get pregnant after this surgery.

Indexed as

FertilityMicrosurgeryVasectomy reversalVasoepididymostomyVasovasostomy

Identifiers

PMID40236466
PMCPMC11999351

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