Sperm granuloma
The sperm granuloma is a nodular, hard change in the spermatic cord that results from the leakage of sperm into the surrounding tissue.
Emergence
Sperm granulomas are most common after a vasectomy . The surgical intervention results in injuries to the vas deferens or the epididymal ducts , which favor the escape of sperm into the surrounding tissue. An injury to the epididymal ducts or the vas deferens can, however, also occur as part of an inflammatory reaction.
If sperm granulomas are found in the course of an autopsy , they are mostly incidental finds, which are found in 2 to 3% of cases in men. More often, sperm granulomas occur in men in connection with a vasectomy of the spermatic cord, which was performed as part of a sterilization process . Here the incidence is around 40%.
Diagnosis
The nodular sperm granulomas are palpable and also sensitive to tenderness . They are usually discovered by the patient himself. Sperm granulomas must be differentiated from tumors in the differential diagnosis .
therapy
Most of the time, sperm granulomas recede on their own; surgical removal is only necessary occasionally.
See also
literature
- Thomas Grasser: Basic knowledge of urology. With 13 tables. 5th completely revised edition, Springer, Heidelberg 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-21134-8 .