Chronic scrotal hypothermia as a treatment for poor semen quality.

Six men with infertile marriages associated with poor semen and raised testicular temperature were treated by an experimental appliance which exploits evaporation to obtain normal testicular temperatures. This was worn with little discomfort for as long as 24 h a day and for periods as long as 20 weeks. Three wives became pregnant while their husbands were on treatment. Semen analysis at the time of the missed menses showed improvements in all three men. In two patients who did not achieve a pregnancy, semen improvements were also seen after 12 weeks. The improvements in semen quality cannot be attributed to any agency other than the hypothermia; this strengthens the theory that raised temperature plays a role in male infertility. Scrotal hypothermia seems to be a suitable treatment in men with varicocele, varicocelectomy failure, and idiopathic infertility where intrascrotal temperature is raised.