His kidney harbored a cancer and it needed to be removed. As a first year surgeon-in-training, I was consenting him for surgery at the Veterans Hospital in Philadelphia. Unlike most patients, he was unusually calm as I talked him through the procedure and its potentially life threatening complications. At one point, he gently put his...Continue reading
Tag: sperm
A Good Year for Sperm
You know about what happened to oil prices last year. And you know about the Paris and San Bernardino shootings. There was also the marriage equality ruling by the Supreme Court and the Baltimore protests. All newsworthy by any measure. But did you know that it was also a big year for sperm?
High-pesticide Produce Causes 49 Percent Lower Sperm Count
Certain fruits and vegetables are known to contain pesticide residue. Farmers spray their crops with pesticide to keep pests from harming their agriculture. When pesticides are applied to crops, it can leave residue on the food which is then sold in grocery stores. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates the amount of pesticide that...Continue reading
Factors For a Good Prognosis In Patients Undergoing Vasectomy Reversal
So what are the factors we can influence in order to get the best results for patients undergoing a vasectomy reversal? There are actually two different surgeries for vasectomy reversal: vasovasostomy (vas to vas) and epididymovasostomy (vas to the epididymis). The surgical approach any patient needs can only be determined at the time of surgery. Selecting...Continue reading
IVF and Sperm: When They Need Each Other
I just finished his sperm retrieval and told him the good news: “If sperm were money, you’d be retired. You have enough sperm for many IVF cycles.” He smiled and then it fell away in thought. After a pause, he said: “If I have so much sperm, why can’t we do something simple and use...Continue reading
Sperm and Testosterone: A Love-Hate Relationship
He stood there looking at me, as deflated as an old circus balloon. “Doc, I heard that testosterone is important for my fertility, so that’s why I started taking it. I had no idea my sperm count would drop!” It’s Complicated Sure, testosterone is good for you. It’s critical for good overall health and for...Continue reading
Cycling Toward Childlessness?
She looks at me earnestly, searching for approval and says: “I’ve made sure that he stopped bicycling as I have read that it’s bad for his fertility, right?” Not so fast. Saddle Sore There is hard data to suggest that bicycling long enough can impair erections, especially if the saddle results in pelvic numbness. But fertility? Not the...Continue reading
Men Are (Really Quite) Complicated
He stared back at me, his face blank. He didn’t like my answer. We had examined the known genetic causes of azoospermia and had come up dry. “I really don’t know why you’re azoospermic, but I’d say it’s still very likely to be genetic, but currently undefined.” Not much to work with, but it’s where we are at...Continue reading
Know Before You Go: Sperm FNA Mapping
You know that the food is good when guests ask for more. That’s why I am absolutely delighted at the invitation from my urological colleagues to lecture about sperm FNA mapping at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR) in Orlando, Florida this week.
Sperm from Skin? Almost!
Can skin be turned into sperm? The answer is “yes” in mice and “almost” in man. Yup, we are one small step closer to the holy grail of making sperm from stem cells. And this time, it looks like it might happen using stem cells that are widely available for men. What’s the Buzz? You know that I am obsessed with helping men...Continue reading