Male fertility following spinal cord injury: an update. 2016

E Ibrahim, and C M Lynne, and N L Brackett
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs most often in young men at the peak of their reproductive health. The majority of men with SCI cannot father children naturally. Three major complications contribute to infertility in men with SCI: erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and abnormal semen quality. Erectile dysfunction can be managed by regimens available to the general population, including oral administration of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, intracavernosal injections, vacuum devices, and penile prostheses. Semen may be obtained from anejaculatory men with SCI via the medically assisted ejaculation methods of penile vibratory stimulation (PVS) or electroejaculation (EEJ). Sperm retrieval is also possible via prostate massage or surgical sperm retrieval. Most men with SCI have abnormal semen quality characterized by normal sperm concentrations but abnormally low sperm motility and viability. Accessory gland dysfunction has been proposed as the cause of these abnormalities. Leukocytospermia is evident in most SCI patients. Additionally, elevated concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and elevated concentrations of inflammasome components are found in their semen. Neutralization of these constituents has resulted in improved sperm motility. There is a recent and alarming trend in the management of infertility in couples with SCI male partners. Although many men with SCI have sufficient motile sperm in their ejaculates for attempting intrauterine insemination (IUI) or even intravaginal insemination, surgical sperm retrieval is often introduced as the first and only sperm retrieval method for these couples. Surgical sperm retrieval commits the couple to the most advanced, expensive, and invasive method of assisted conception: in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). Couples should be informed of all options, including semen retrieval by PVS or EEJ. Intravaginal insemination or IUI should be considered when indicated.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007172 Erectile Dysfunction The inability in the male to have a PENILE ERECTION due to psychological or organ dysfunction. Impotence,Male Impotence,Male Sexual Impotence,Dysfunction, Erectile,Impotence, Male,Impotence, Male Sexual,Sexual Impotence, Male
D007248 Infertility, Male The inability of the male to effect FERTILIZATION of an OVUM after a specified period of unprotected intercourse. Male sterility is permanent infertility. Sterility, Male,Sub-Fertility, Male,Subfertility, Male,Male Infertility,Male Sterility,Male Sub-Fertility,Male Subfertility,Sub Fertility, Male
D008297 Male Males
D004542 Ejaculation The emission of SEMEN to the exterior, resulting from the contraction of muscles surrounding the male internal urogenital ducts. Ejaculations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013081 Sperm Motility Movement characteristics of SPERMATOZOA in a fresh specimen. It is measured as the percentage of sperms that are moving, and as the percentage of sperms with productive flagellar motion such as rapid, linear, and forward progression. Motilities, Sperm,Motility, Sperm,Sperm Motilities
D013119 Spinal Cord Injuries Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.). Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy
D053625 Sperm Retrieval Procedures to obtain viable sperm from the male reproductive tract, including the TESTES, the EPIDIDYMIS, or the VAS DEFERENS. Epididymal Sperm Aspiration,Epididymal Sperm Retrieval,Sperm Aspiration,Testicular Sperm Aspiration,Testicular Sperm Retrieval,Vasal Sperm Aspiration,Vasal Sperm Retrieval,Sperm Aspiration, Epididymal,Sperm Aspiration, Testicular,Sperm Aspiration, Vasal,Sperm Retrieval, Epididymal,Sperm Retrieval, Testicular,Sperm Retrieval, Vasal,Sperm Retrievals
D055101 Semen Analysis The quality of SEMEN, an indicator of male fertility, can be determined by semen volume, pH, sperm concentration (SPERM COUNT), total sperm number, sperm viability, sperm vigor (SPERM MOTILITY), normal sperm morphology, ACROSOME integrity, and the concentration of WHITE BLOOD CELLS. Semen Quality,Semen Quality Analysis,Analyses, Semen Quality,Analysis, Semen Quality,Qualities, Semen,Quality Analyses, Semen,Quality, Semen,Semen Analyses,Semen Qualities,Semen Quality Analyses
D020554 Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic An assisted fertilization technique consisting of the microinjection of a single viable sperm into an extracted ovum. It is used principally to overcome low sperm count, low sperm motility, inability of sperm to penetrate the egg, or other conditions related to male infertility (INFERTILITY, MALE). ICSI,Injections, Sperm, Intracytoplasmic,Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injections,Injection, Intracytoplasmic Sperm,Injections, Intracytoplasmic Sperm,Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection,Sperm Injection, Intracytoplasmic

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