Testis, epididymis, and spermatic cord in elderly men. Correlation of angiographic and histologic studies with systemic arteriosclerosis

Abstract

Autopsy specimens of the testes, epididymides, and spermatic cords from 20 adult young and 60 elderly men were studied by angiographic and histologic techniques. Testicular alterations in elderly men were correlated to the degree of aortic atheromatosis. Elderly men without manifest atheromatosis showed no lesions. Elderly men with slight atheromatosis showed a spiculated outline of the testicular artery and intraparenchymatous zones with scarce filling of small arteries. These zones exhibited peritubular and interstitial fibrosis. Elderly men with severe atheromatosis showed large zones of the testicular parenchyma with scarce filling of centrifugal and centripetal arteries that exhibited fibrosis of the tunica intima and lumen reduction; the testicular parenchyma appeared fibrosed with sclerosed tubules. Epididymal lesions were parallel to testicular lesions. These results suggest that systemic arteriosclerosis is involved in the decline of testicular function with age.