Definition – What is a sperm granuloma?
A sperm granuloma is a pressure-painful, nodular structure outside the spermatic cord, which is caused by sperm leaking into the surrounding tissue. As a rule, this is a benign new formation. The sperm are enclosed and broken down by the body’s immune defence cells. However, due to a hard to digest, acid-resistant coating and the DNA, the breakdown of the sperm takes a long time. The digestive cells, also called macrophages, consequently transform into epithelioid cells and finally form the granuloma together with other cells.
These are the symptoms of a sperm granuloma
Sperm granulomas are often perceived by the patient as painful palpable lumps in the scrotum. They often report that it is particularly painful when pressure and movement are applied. However, pain is not essential, so sperm granulomas are often not perceived by patients and are only discovered by chance.
Sperm granulomas usually grow rather slowly. If the resistance increases over weeks, a tumor is suspected and should be examined immediately by a doctor. If the granuloma occurs in the context of an inflammation, it can also cause additional signs of inflammation such as redness, swelling and increased temperature.
Causes
The most common side effect of a vasectomy is sperm granuloma. In vasectomy, the sperm duct is cut to sterilize the man. During the operation, sperm can enter the surrounding tissue and cause a granuloma.
The risk of this side effect is relatively high at 40%. In rare cases, sperm granulomas can occur in the context of other diseases, for example inflammation of the testicles or the spermatic duct. In addition, injuries to the sperm duct or adjacent structures can cause sperm to leak into the tissue.
In rare cases, sperm granulomas also occur without a recognisable cause and are not recognised by the patient. They are often discovered during autopsies or operations as a chance finding. Very rarely they occur in the context of testicular cancer.
