Treatment for low sperm count improves chances of pregnancy
Chicago, Nov 28- Couples struggling with infertility
face uncertain odds when considering various treatments, but anew study shows that embolisation, a minimally invasive curefor low sperm count, the most common cause of infertility inmen, significantly improves chances of preganancy.The study also identified the level of sperm motility(movement) prior to treatment as a key predictor of asuccessful pregnancy.These finding were presented at the Radiological Surveyof North America, a 92nd Scientific Assembly, which is theworld's largest five-day annual medical meeting attended byaround 70,000 radiological experts from across the globe."We found that spermatic vein embolisation combined withanti-inflammatory treatment improves sperm motility and spermcount in infertile men with varicoceles," said SebastianFlacke, assistant professor of radiology at the University ofBonn in Germany."Six months after treatment, 26 per cent of couples hadconceived," Flacke said.Normally, blood flows to the testicles and returns to theheart via a network of tiny veins that have a series ofone-way valves to prevent the blood from flowing backward tothe testicles.If the valves that regulate the blood flow from theseveins become defective, blood does not properly circulate outof the testicles, causing swelling and a network of tangledblood vessels in the scrotum called a varicocele or varicosevein.
According to the National Institutes of Health, mostcases occur in young men between the age group of 15 to 25.Many varicoceles cause no symptoms and are harmless. Butsometimes it cause pain, shrinkage or fertility problems.Though, it has long been regarded as key contributors toinfertility in men, Flacke said, adding common belief heldthat the warm blood pooling in the varicocele increasedscrotum temperature and reduced sperm count and motility.However, some recent studies have argued that varicocelesare not factor and that treating them will not increase malefertility.
The traditional treatment for problematic varicoceles hasbeen open surgery, but recently varicocele emboliastion hasemerged as a minimally invasive outpatient alternative.Recovery time is minimal, and patients can return to workthe next day, he said. Flacke and colleagues set out toidentify predictors of pregnancy after embolisation ofvaricoceles in infertile men.The study included 223 infertile men, aged 18-50, with atleast one varicoceles. The patients varicoceles weresuccessfully treated.A semen analysis performed on 173 patients three monthsafter the procedure showed that on average, sperm motility andsperm count had significantly improved. "Six months later, 45couples or 26 per cent, reported a pregnancy," he added.Anti-inflammatory treatment and hormone substitution wasinitiated if required.