Unilateral spermatic vessel ligation in prepubertal rats decreases microvascular blood flow to ipsilateral testis postpubertally.

High ligation of spermatic vessels (HLSV) and low ligation of spermatic vessels (LLSV) have been described in the surgical treatment of high undescended testis. Testicular capillary blood flow utilizing laser Doppler flowmetry after these maneuvers has not been studied thus far; hence, this study was designed. Thirty male rats, aged 30 days, were randomized into three groups: group I, sham surgery; group II, unilateral HLSV ligation and division of main spermatic vessels high in the left retroperitoneal space; and group III, unilateral LLSV ligation and division of main spermatic vessels close to the left testis. Thirty days later, both testes were explored through scrotal incision and capillary blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmeter continuously and simultaneously from both testes. The right testis, the vessels of which were not disturbed in any group, served as the control. The mean decrease in the testicular blood flow between the right testis and left testis was 4.8, 92.9, and 74.2 PFU in groups I, II, and III respectively. There was a significant ( p<0.05) decrease in ipsilateral blood flow in group-II and group-III rats; however, upon comparing group II with group III, there was no significant difference between them. Both HLSV and LLSV in rats significantly decrease the capillary blood flow of ipsilateral testis. Although LLSV group had less reduction in capillary blood flow to the ipsilateral testis than HLSV group, the difference was not statistically significant.