Abstract
Application of a vibrator of 80 Hz and 2.5 mm amplitude to the lower surface of the glans penis caused ejaculation in less than 20 minutes (usually less than 3 minutes) in 48 of 81 men with spinal cord injuries (mostly complete) of more than 6 months duration. It failed in all the 19 of the 81 who lacked reflex hip flexion on scratching the soles of the feet, and in 14 others. It failed in 11 of 12 men with injuries of less than 6 months' duration. From 21 of 34 men for whom the vibrator failed, semen could be obtained by electroejaculation, which is just as successful within 6 months of injury as subsequently and may succeed even if reflex hip flexion is absent. Eleven pregnancies where the father had a complete or nearly complete spinal cord lesion are reported. Nine healthy children have been born.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Ball, L (1976). Electroejaculation. In: W. R. Klemm (ed.), Applied Electronics for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Physiology, pp. 394–44. C. C. Thomas, Springfield.
Bors, E & Comarr, A E (1960). Neurological disturbance of sexual function with special reference to 529 patients with spinal cord injury. Urological Surgery, 10, 191–222.
Brindley, G S (1980). Electroejaculation and the fertility of paraplegic men. Sexuality and Disability, 3, 223–229.
Brindley, G S (1981a). Electroejaculation: its technique, neurological implications and uses. Journal Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 44, 9–18.
Brindley, G S (1981b). Reflex ejaculation under vibratory stimulation in paraplegic men. Paraplegia, 19, 299–302.
Brindley, G S (1982). Deep scrotal temperature and the effect on it of clothing, air temperature, activity, posture and paraplegia. British Journal of Urology, 54, 49–55.
Brindley, G S (1983). Physiology of erection and management of paraplegic infertility. In: T. B. Hargreave (ed.), Male Infertility, pp. 261–279. Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Brindley, G S, Polkey, C E & Rushton, D N (1982). Sacral anterior root stimulators for bladder control in paraplegia. Paraplegia, 20, 365–381.
Comarr, A E (1970). Sexual function among patients with spinal cord injury. Urologia Internationalis, 23, 134–168.
Crich, J P & Jequier, A M (1978). Infertility in men with retrograde ejaculation: the action of urine or sperm motility, and a simple method for achieving antegrade ejaculation. Fertility and Sterility, 30, 572–576.
Francois, N, Maury, M, Jouannet, D, David, G & Vacant, J (1978). Electroejaculation of a complete paraplegic followed by pregnancy. Paraplegia, 16, 248–251.
Francois, N, Lichtenberger, J M, Jouannet, P, Desert, J -F & Maury, M (1980). L’éjaculation par le vibromassage chez le paraplégique à propos de 50 cas avec 7 grossesses. Annales de Médicine physique, 23, 24–36.
Horne, H W, Paull, D P & Munro, D (1948). Fertility studies in human male with traumatic injuries of the spinal cord and cauda equina. New England Journal of Medicine, 239, 959–961.
Kinsey, A C, Pomeroy, W B & Martin, C E (1948). Sexual behavior in the human male, p. 517. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia.
Sobrero, A J, Stearne, H E & Blair, J H (1965). Technic for the induction of ejaculation in humans. Fertility and Sterility, 16, 765–767.
Tarabulcy, E (1972). Sexual function in the normal and in paraplegia. Paraplegia, 10, 201–208.
Thomas, R J S, McLeish, G & McDonald, I A (1975). Electroejaculation of the paraplegic male followed by pregnancy. Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 798-799.
Zeitlin, A B, Cottrell, T L & Lloyd, F A (1957). Sexology of the paraplegic male. Fertility and Sterility, 8, 337–344.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brindley, G. The fertility of men with spinal injuries. Spinal Cord 22, 337–348 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1984.56
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1984.56
