Hemospermia: long-term outcome in 165 patients

Abstract

Long-term course of hemospermia has not been addressed in the sexual medicine literature. We report our 15 years’ experience. From 1997 to 2012, 165 patients presented with hemospermia. Mean age was 38 years. Mean follow-up was 83 months. Laboratory evaluation and testis and transabdominal ultrasonography was done in all. Since 2008, all sonographies were done by the first author. One patient had urinary tuberculosis, one had bladder tumor and three had benign lesions at verumontanum. One patient had bilateral partial ejaculatory duct obstruction by stones. All six patients had persistent, frequently recurring or high-volume hemospermia. All pathologies were found in young patients. In the remaining 159 patients (96%), empiric treatment was given with a fluoroquinolone (Ciprofloxacin) plus an nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (Celecoxib). In our 15 years of follow-up, no patient later developed life-threatening disease. Diagnostic evaluation of hemospermia is not worthwhile in the absolute majority of cases. Advanced age makes no difference. Only high-risk patients need to be evaluated. The vast majority of cases may be safely and effectively treated with empiric therapy. Almost all patients do well in long term.