Patient's question:
What are the treatments for epididymitis? Which hospital in Chongqing offers the best treatment? I have had this disease for a while, and the treatment results have been inconsistent, causing great inconvenience to my life and work. I am also worried that if the treatment is not thorough, it may affect my wife's fertility. Can epididymitis lead to infertility?Doctor's answer:
Epididymitis can lead to abnormal function of the epididymis, alter the internal environment of the epididymis, and subsequently affect sperm maturation, reducing its fertilization capacity. Inflammation can also cause blockage of the epididymal ducts, which is highly unfavorable for sperm output. All of these factors can contribute to clinical infertility. Epididymitis can cause male infertility, and bacteria often spread retrogradely through the vas deferens to the epididymis. Additionally, bacterial invasion of the epididymis can also cause epididymitis through lymphatic vessels or hematogenous infection, though this is rare. Epididymitis can occur in one or both epididymides, with unilateral cases being more common. Acute epididymitis often starts in the tail of the epididymis, where the epididymal duct epithelium becomes edematous, desquamates, and shows purulent secretions in the lumen. It then spreads through interstitial infiltration to the body and head of the epididymis, potentially forming small abscesses. Late-stage scar tissue can lead to occlusion of the epididymal ducts, so bilateral epididymitis often results in infertility, making it impossible for a woman to conceive.