What is Congenital Bilateral Absence of the Vas Deferens (CBAVD)????????? Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a syndrome in which a portion or all of the reproductive ducts (including vas and seminal vesicles) are missing. This causes an obstruction to the passage of sperm. These sperm, which are being produced normally in the testicle become "trapped" in the testicle for lack of a pathway to the ejaculate. CBAVD may be associated with several diseases, including cystic fibrosis (CF), 65% of men with CBAVD will have a detectable genetic mutation of one of the cystic fibrosis genes. This does not imply that the man has cystic fibrosis but it means that he could be a carrier of the gene. If his spouse is also a carrier, this means that there is a 25% chance of a child born to them having cystic fibrosis. CBAVD can be diagnosed by a semen analysis.  When there is NO sperm in the ejaculate and the man has CF or is a carrier of a CF mutation, it is inferred that they have CBAVD.  If the man has CBAVD, then a surgical sperm retrieval from the testicles will be necessary to obtain sperm.  The "MESA" (microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration) procedure is planned for the man to obtain viable sperm. These sperm may then be gently, microsurgically inserted inside the eggs of the wife using In-vitro fertilization and the ICSI procedure.  These eggs have been obtained from an aspiration carried out through the vagina (egg retrieval). The fertilized embryos are then be placed into the uterus of the female to establish a pregnancy. Success rates remain very high with this technique, even in men with "zero" sperm counts.  Men with Cystic Fibrosis and CBAVD can and are having biological children successfully using this method.  CBAVD is sometimes referred to as CAVD or Congenital Absense of the Vas Deferens.

THE MALE ANATOMY

EPIDIDYMIS (This is where they extract sperm for the MESA procedure)

VAS DEFRENS (SPERM DUCT)

Congenital Bilateral Absence of the Vas Deferens

VAS DEFRENS