The seminal vesicle (SV) and vas deferens (VD) are ancillary but essential urogenital organs.The development of these organs is closely related to that of urinary organs, including the kidneys and ureters.
Seminal vesicle agenesis cannot be an isolated finding, and it is usually seen in association with renal anomalies.
A 28-year-old male patient married for 6 years presented with complaint of infertility. His wife had undergone relevant workup and her reports were normal. Semen analysis of the patient yielded azoospermia with low volume of 1ml and low pH of 6.4. Semen fructose was negative. His scrotal ultrasound was normal. Transrectal ultrasound was performed in our department, which showed absence of bilateral seminal vesicles and vas deferens. Prostate gland was normal.
Transabdominal ultrasound performed for evaluation of genito- urinary tract showed empty bilateral renal fossa with crossed fused renal ectopia on right side.
Their significance lies in association with
other mesonephric duct anomalies. Mesonephric duct differentiates into the appendix of the epididymis, paradidymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct, seminal vesicle, and hemitrigone of bladder. The ureteral bud arises off the dorsal aspect of the distal mesonephric duct and extends in a dorsocranial fashion to meet and induce differentiation of the metanephric blastema, which will form the adult definitive kidney.
Complete failure of the mesonephric duct to develop will result in failure of development of its derivatives. Failure of metanephros to ascent leads to ectopic kidney.
Congenital absence of bilateral seminal vesicles is frequently associated with congenital bilateral absence or ectopia of vas deferens with 60 -70% of cases having mutations in the Cystic fibrosis transmembrane receptor CFTR gene.
Seminal vesicles and prostate contribute 90 percent of fluid in ejaculate and seminal vesicles also contribute in making the ejaculate alkaline.