The effect of vasectomy on the epididymis of the Malaysian long-tailed monkey (Macaca irus)

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the effect of vasectomy on the structural integrity of the epididymis. Five monkeys were used and bilateral vasectomy was done on each experimental animal. Six months after the operation, the epididymis was removed and using light microscopy was found to retain its original morphology except for lymphocytic infiltration in the walls and fewer clumps of spermatozoa in the lumen of this organ. The findings were consistent in all five macaques under study. The epithelium was found to be normal with pseudostratified columnar cells with stereocilia as in the normal state. It is concluded that vasectomy has no major impact on the morphology of the epididymis.