"No Detectable Sperm"

. . .is not the name of my new punk rock band.

It is, however, the key text of lab results that came back this week in following up on the most highly-read post of my blogging career.

That is all.

More like this

So many medical diagnoses or illnesses ultimately sound like they really ought to be the names of either indie punk or metal bands.

I get a real kick about the next generation headbanging to the extreme sounds of Necrotizing Fasciitis.

ummmm.... Congratulations?

Perhaps your sperm are still there, but they've invented a cloak of invisibility.

By Trin Tragula (not verified) on 11 Oct 2008 #permalink

I went for a vasectomy; but I got into a fist-fight with the doctor. I asked "Before I agree to this, is the operation painful?" He replied "Don't worry, it's only a little prick." I had never been so insulted ,,,

@CPP - we talked about this somewhere in the vasectomy discussions but the answer to your question is "yes." Turns out that spermatozoa comprise only 1-5% of semen, with the rest coming primarily from the seminal vesicles and the prostate with a little from the bulbourethral glands. But if I was worried about volume, I could always procure some products from all those spam e-mail offers I get.

@Trin - bwah!!! in fact, the sperm still are there and undergo apoptosis as they build up in the epididymis because the vas had been ligated. I've read that a majority of vasX patients have anti-sperm antibodies in the serum.

@Joe - I didn't know you had such a great sense of humor!