This is an interesting article from the Associated Press published on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 about a new study that found a spinal graft from Medtronic Inc could be linked to male infertility. The full article can be found below and the results are surprising to say the least. It is amazing that a spinal surgery can be linked to the cause of infertility in some males.
Story Credit: Associated Press
Originally found here: Forbes.com
A study published Wednesday links Medtronic Inc.'s Infuse spinal graft to a condition that can cause infertility in men.
The clinical study said men who were treated with Infuse were more likely to develop retrograde ejaculation than men treated with other bone grafts. Retrograde ejaculation is a condition in which semen goes into the bladder after ejaculation instead of leaving the body through the urethra. It's not harmful, but it can cause infertility.
The results appeared Wednesday in the online version of The Spine Journal, a publication of the North American Spine Society. Medtronic ( MDT - news - people ) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Infuse contains a genetically engineered protein that can stimulate bone growth. It is used in spinal, oral, and dental graft procedures, and is an alternative to procedures like autologous grafting, where bone is taken from elsewhere in the patient's body. Those procedures can cause lasting pain.
The study by Stanford University researchers included about 230 men who had a common type of spinal fusion procedure. Out of 69 men who received an Infuse graft, five experienced retrograde ejaculation. Out of 174 patients who were treated with other bone grafts, only one experienced retrograde ejaculation. Three of the six cases cleared up within a year, including the one in the man who did not receive an Infuse graft.
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