Dear Colleagues,

The focus on childlessness in couples has been on female infertility, despite available data suggesting male infertility exclusively in about one-third of cases globally. Reliable data on the incidence of male infertility worldwide are not easy to obtain, especially as it is heavily stigmatized by cultural factors, and males present less often to fertility clinics for diagnosis and treatment. Males suffer from the psychological burden of their infertility no less than females. Male infertility should stop being a taboo issue.

There has been a continuing decline in both sperm count and sperm quality, leading to male infertility. A variety of environmental factors have been identified as potential causes. The remediation of these factors does not lie within the scope of a reproductive medicine specialist. However, other recognized causative factors are amenable to treatment by surgical intervention. Varicoceles that lead to reduced sperm production can be surgically treated. The reversal of a vasectomy and surgical correction of other causes of obstructive azoospermia, such as epididymal, vasal, or ejaculatory duct abnormalities, can improve and restore sperm production with a high degree of success. Even in the case of nonobstructive azoospermia, microsurgical techniques have advanced enough to perform testicular sperm extraction for IVF in conjunction with ICSI. Microsurgical interventions have made the treatment of even the most challenging types of male infertility possible.

In addition to microsurgery to improve sperm production and release, there are also surgical procedures such as prosthetic surgery for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, intralesional therapies, and surgical techniques for the treatment of Peyronie’s disease.

This Special Issue is dedicated to updating the significant advances in male reproductive medicine and surgery.

Prof. Dr. Germar-Michael Pinggera
Guest Editor

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• infertility surgery
• microsurgery
• TESE
• novel approaches and techniques in male infertility and andrology
• reconstructive andrology
• preventive uroandrology
• sperm retrieval and kryoconservation
• family planning
• urologic inflammations and infections