Retrograde Ejaculation

Q. Are there any surgical cures for retrograde ejaculation? This condition was caused by abdominal surgery that I had. Some semen comes out, but very little. I am very interested in having this condition surgically corrected. Is it possible?

A. Normally, when you ejaculate, a muscle contracts to close off the entrance to the bladder, forcing the semen to shoot out the end of the penis. But if the muscle fails to close properly, the sperm enter the bladder instead — a condition called retrograde ejaculation. Causes include genital tract surgery or problems with the nerves.

Men with this condition note a decrease in the amount of their ejaculate. A doctor would look for this condition if a man has a low sperm volume along with a longstanding history of diabetes, prior surgery, or recent development of impotence. To diagnose this condition, the doctor might check for sperm in your urine after you ejaculate. Unfortunately, the condition cannot be surgically corrected.

For more information on retrograde ejaculation, see my previous column No Semen Comes Out During Intercourse.