This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (33)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Useful Clinical Sign

Robert E. Donohue, MD; H. Earl Fauver, MD

JAMA. 1989;261(8):1180-1182.

Abstract
The vas deferens is infrequently palpated at the time of routine physical examination or even during examination of the scrotum. Its absence, especially unilaterally, has been associated both clinically and at the time of autopsy with ipsilateral renal anomalies, especially agenesis. Twenty-six patients with unilateral agenesis of the vas deferens were examined for the presence of an ipsilateral renal unit; 25 patients were examined by intravenous pyelography and one by bone scan. Twenty-two patients were missing the ipsilateral renal unit. Contralateral abnormalities occurred in seven (33%) of these 22 patients also. The absence of the vas deferens is a significant anomaly, and examination for the presence of the ipsilateral renal unit is mandatory.

(JAMA 1989;261:1180-1182)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Urology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver (Dr Donohue); and the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colo (Dr Fauver). Dr Fauver is now with General Medical Education, US Army, Washington, DC.

Footnotes
The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.

Reprint requests to the Division of Urology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 E Ninth Ave, Box C319, Denver, CO 80262 (Dr Donohue).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Imaging of the Seminal Vesicle and Vas Deferens1
Kim et al.
RadioGraphics 2009;29:1105-1121.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A missing vas
Khan and Novell
JRSM 2001;94:582-583.
FULL TEXT  

Screening for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene mutations in men included in an intracytoplasmic sperm injection programme
Boucher et al.
Mol Hum Reprod 1999;5:587-593.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Unilateral Absence of a Palpable Vas Deferens
Schneiderman
JAMA 1989;262:1771-1772.
ABSTRACT