Necrospermia

NECROSPERMIA (from Greek nekros - dead and sperma - seed), dead seed, a term introduced by Finger; denotes a condition in which the ejaculate contains a sufficient number of spermatozoa, but they are immobile. Müller, Fürbringer, and Finger investigated this phenomenon and established a number of its causes; however, the etiology of the condition cannot yet be considered sufficiently clarified. Necrospermia may develop on the basis of a decrease in the functional activity of the testicles due to frequent loss of semen, when excessive demands are placed on the testicles (during excesses in venere). In these cases, there is a disturbance of the functions of the germinal epithelium, by virtue of which the spermatozoa are produced insufficiently viable. The same phenomenon of a more persistent nature is observed during a disturbance of testicular function both as a result of a general disorder of the body's functions during general debilitating diseases (tuberculosis, diabetes, alcoholism, morphinism), and during local diseases of the testicle (syphilis, cancer, hypoplasia). In these cases, necrospermia is usually combined with oligospermia and is a precursor to azoospermia. More often, necrospermia is caused by the fact that pathological secretion of the prostate gland is mixed with the secretion of the testicles, or the spermatozoa are in prolonged contact with the pathological secretion of the seminal vesicles. In inflammatory diseases of the prostate and seminal vesicles, not only is the nutrition of the spermatozoa in the seminal vesicles and their activation by prostate juice disturbed, but the reaction of the ejaculate secretion is also altered. Becoming alkaline, it contributes to the necrosis of the spermatozoa. Sometimes necrospermia is caused by insufficient secretory function of the prostate gland and seminal vesicles, by virtue of which the spermatozoa are weakly activated and are immobile and, at the same time, insufficiently viable to fertilize the female egg. For the diagnosis of necrospermia, an examination of semen obtained no later than 1-2 hours after ejaculation is necessary. Semen can be obtained by coitus condomatus or by masturbation. The diagnosis of necrospermia must be confirmed by a repeated microscopic examination. Treatment of necrospermia depends on the causative factor. In cases caused by excesses in venere, complete abstinence for 2-3 weeks should be recommended. In case of a disorder of the general condition or local diseases of the testicles, therapy should be directed at the primary condition, and success depends on how amenable the latter is to treatment.