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A comparison of epididymectomy with vasectomy reversal for the surgical treatment of postvasectomy pain syndrome

  • Urology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Purpose

To compare the outcome of epididymectomy and vasectomy reversal (VR) in patients with postvasectomy pain syndrome (PVPS) who required surgical treatment.

Methods

A total of 50 patients with PVPS who underwent epididymectomy or VR between January 2000 and January 2010 were included retrospectively. Of these, 36 (72.0 %) patients completed the study questionnaire. These 36 patients completed the questionnaire either during attendance at the outpatient clinic or during a telephone interview. Twenty patients (22 cases) underwent epididymectomy, and sixteen patients (17 cases) underwent VR. Analyses were performed for (1) preoperative clinical findings, (2) preoperative and postoperative visual analogue pain scale (VAPS) scores, (3) patency and pregnancy rate in VR group, and (4) patient satisfaction with surgical treatment.

Results

The mean age was 48.28 ± 11.27 years, and the mean period of follow-up was 3.58 years (0.15–10.03). The mean VAPS score was 6.78 ± 0.93 preoperatively and 1.13 ± 0.72 postoperatively (p < 0.001). The difference in the mean preoperative and postoperative VAPS scores was 6.00 ± 1.34 (3–8) in the epididymectomy group and 5.50 ± 1.03 (4–8) in the VR group. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.227). No significant difference in satisfaction with surgical outcome was observed between the epididymectomy and the VR groups (p = 0.124).

Conclusions

In PVPS patients requiring surgical treatment, no significant difference was observed between the epididymectomy and VR groups in either the reduction in pain or the degree of patient satisfaction with surgical outcome. Selection of the optimal surgical procedure may be dependent on specific patient characteristics.

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Acknowledgments

This work was accepted by the Program Abstract Review Committee of the American Urological Association (AUA) and presented at Annual Meeting of AUA, Washington, DC, on May 14–19, 2011.

Conflict of interest

None declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Urological Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Joo Yong Lee, Kang Su Cho & Seung Hwan Lee

  2. Department of Urology, Eulji Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Hee Ju Cho & Jeong Man Cho

  3. Department of Urology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea

    Cheol Young Oh & June Hyun Han

  4. Department of Urology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea

    Ki Soo Lee & Tae Hyo Kim

  5. Department of Urology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 153 Gyeongchun-ro, Guri, 471-701, Korea

    Seung Wook Lee

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  1. Joo Yong Lee
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  3. Seung Hwan Lee
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Correspondence to Seung Wook Lee.

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Lee, J.Y., Cho, K.S., Lee, S.H. et al. A comparison of epididymectomy with vasectomy reversal for the surgical treatment of postvasectomy pain syndrome. Int Urol Nephrol 46, 531–537 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0517-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0517-9

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