Andrology is an area of medicine concerning men’s health. According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), andrology is engaged in all aspects of male reproductive health.

 

The Hospitalal Science of Andrology deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of:

  • Male fertility diagnostics and therapy (including but not limited to: subfertility diagnostics; and early therapeutic interventions to improve healthy live birth outcome; clinical advice for patients considering fertility treatment; preparation and selection of sperm for use in fertility treatment, use of donated sperm);
  • Male contraception and family planning (including but not limited to: male contraception; Post- vasectomy and post-vasectomy reversal semen analysis);
  • Sperm banking and fertility preservation (including surgical sperm retrieval including following traumatic testicular injury; sperm banking where fertility is threatened; preparation and selection of sperm for use in fertility treatment);
  • Paternally heritable disease (including potential and definite risks to offspring from lifestyle, disease or therapeutic interventions);
  • Male sexual dysfunctions (including erectile dysfunction, disturbances of desire, arousal, ejaculatory and orgasmic dysfunctions);
  • Male endocrine dysfunctions (including disorders of sexual development; hypogonadism; male aging and other conditions from puberty to senescence);
  • Gamete donation (including detailed screening and familiarity with ethical and social issues);
  • Gender reassignment (including issues around gamete storage and future use);
  • Genital tract pathologies (including infections and inflammations or cancers relating specifically to the male);
  • Prevention of transmission of blood-borne viruses (including fertility treatment for serodiscordant/concordant couples for HIV, Hep B and Hep C);

 The diagnosis and management of penis problems include lack of firmness of penis erection or bending and deformity of the erect penis (Peyronie’s disease). Further areas of andrological activities are:

  • The diagnosis and management of testicle problems and prostate disorders, for example, prostate enlargement, inflammation or cancer (the latter being mostly a genuine problem of urology) prevention and rehabilitation, primary and secondary hypogonadism, delayed puberty, adverse drug side effects and environmental pollutants with regard to fertility, cryopreservation of semen and testicular tissue, forensic paternity problems, family planning, male contraception and basic andrological research.

All these issues are of increasing importance for the further development of clinical andrology.

 

In summary, the following subjects are within the field of responsibility of andrology:

  1. Male fertility and infertility
  2. Erectile dysfunction and sexual disturbances
  3. Aging male and hormone replacement therapy
  4. Male reproductive tract inflammation and infection
  5. Testicle problems (testicular tumors)
  6. Prostate disorders (BPH, carcinoma)
  7. Primary and secondary hypogonadism
  8. Delayed puberty
  9. Prevention and rehabilitation
  10. Adverse drug side effects
  11. Environmental pollutants
  12. Cryopreservation of semen and testicular tissue
  13. Forensic paternity problems
  14. Family planning
  15. Male contraception
  16. Basic andrological research

 

Useful websites

British Andrology Society

http://www.britishandrology.org.uk/.

 

Basic and Hospitalal Andrology

Articles on many aspects of Andrology and related disorders. https://bacandrology.biomedcentral.com/

 

Andrology for the Hospitalian

Definition, Hospitalal Issues, and Prevalence. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/3-540-33713-X

Handbook of Andrology, second Edition

https://andrologysociety.org/docs/handbook-2nd/handbook-of-andrology-second-edition-english.aspx

 

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Urologic Diseases

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases