Vasectomy in cryosurgery of the prostate.

The significance of vasectomy in the development of epididymitis after cryosurgery of the prostate is reviewed. Cryosurgery of the prostate was performed on 166 patients from August 1975 to December 1978. Epididymitis developed in 20 of the 166 patients (12.0%). Vasectomy was performed on 114 patients and epididymitis developed in 13 of them. The incidence was 11.4%. 7 out of 52 patients in the non-vasectomized group had complications with epididymitis. There was no significant difference between the vasectomized group and the non-vasectomized group. 107 of the 166 patients had benign prostatic hyperplasia and 59 had prostatic cancer. Of the 197 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia 13 patients developed epididymitis. The incidence of epididymitis was 11.8% for the vasectomized group and 12.9% in the non-vasectomized group. 7 of the 59 patients with prostatic cancer developed epididymitis. In the patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia there was no significant difference between the vasectomized group and the non-vasectomized group. Retrospective studies were done on 20 cases of epididymitis. 14 of 20 patients developed epididymitis within 14 days of surgery. In cryosurgery of the prostate it takes much time to eliminate the debris of frozen tissue. The lower urinary tract infection following cryosurgery tends to persist longer than in other types of prostatic surgery. Due to the high incidence of epididymitis following cryosurgery of the prostate prophylactic vasectomy has been recommended as a preventive measure.