A Comprehensive Guide to Sperm Recovery in Infertile Men with Retrograde Ejaculation
Sajal Gupta, Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Agarwal, Neel Parekh, Renata Finelli, Rupin Shah, Hussein Kandil, Ramadan Saleh, Mohamed Arafa, Edmund Ko, Mara Simopoulou, Armand Zini, Osvaldo Rajmil, Parviz K. Kavoussi, Keerti Singh, Rafael F. Ambar, Haitham Elbardisi, Pallav Sengupta, Marlon Martínez, Florence Boitrelle, Marco G. Alves, Kareim Khalafalla, Shubhadeep Roychoudhury, Gian Maria Busetto, Jaime Gosálvez, Nicholas N. Tadros, Ayad Palani, Marcelo Gabriel Rodriguez, Christina Anagnostopoulou, S. Mičić, Lucia Rocco, Taymour Mostafa, Juan G. Álvarez, Sunil Jindal, Hassan Sallam, Israel Maldonado Rosas, Sheena Lewis, Sami Alsaid, Mesut Altan, Hyun Jun Park, Jonathan Ramsay, Sıjo J. Parekattıl, Marjan Sabbaghian, Kelton Tremellen, Paraskevi Vogiatzi, Mohammad Ali Sadighi Gilani, Donald P. Evenson, Giovanni M. Colpi
Abstract
Retrograde ejaculation (RE) is a condition defined as the backward flow of the semen during ejaculation, and when present can result in male infertility. RE may be partial or complete, resulting in either low seminal volume or complete absence of the ejaculate (dry ejaculate). RE can result from anatomic, neurological or pharmacological conditions. The treatment approaches outlined are determined by the cause. Alkalinizing urinary pH with oral medications or by adding sperm wash media into the bladder prior to ejaculation may preserve the viability of the sperm. This article provides a step-by-step guide to diagnose RE and the optimal techniques to retrieve sperm.