There's a surprising amount of stuff "down there" in the male reproductive system, all of which is subject to disorders and disease. The U.S. market alone for urological devices to treat these disorders and diseases was almost 2.3 billion dollars in 2009, and is expected to more than double by 2016, according to a marker research report released by IData Research Inc., a medical market research firm.
Testicles
Because the testis produces the male hormone testosterone, it is considered an endocrine gland. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the testis is subject to a variety of disorders including testicular trauma, testicular torsion, testicular cancer and hypogonadism. Because the testicles are located outside the body in the scrotum, testicles are vulnerable to trauma from sports injuries. Testicular torsion can occur due to a sudden twisting of the testicles, which can twist the spermatic cord, cutting off the blood supple to the testicles. Testicular torsion requires emergency surgery to restore the blood supply to the testicle.
Testicular cancer is most common in young Caucasian men between the ages of 15 and 40. A family history of testicular cancer and having an undescended testicle increase a male's risk of testicular cancer. If testicular cancer is detected before it spreads from the testicle to the lymph glands, the cure rate is 98 percent, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
When sperm exits the testicles, it enters a series of coiled tubes called the epididymis, which sits on top of the testicle. The epididymis stores sperm and helps sperm undergo final maturational changes to make sperm fertilization capable. Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia can infect the epididymis causing epididymitis, a disorder which causes pain, swelling and in severe cases, an abscess. If untreated, scar tissue within the epididymis can cause infertility by interfering with sperm maturation and transit to the ejaculatory ducts.
Hypogonadism is a disorder characterized by a failure of the testis to produce sufficient testosterone. Failure to produce normal levels of testosterone results in a host of problems including reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, mood swings and decrease in male secondary sex characteristics such as hairiness and muscle mass.
Prostate
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located just under the bladder that wraps around the urethra and produces a large portion of the fluid part of the semen. It also helps keep urine and semen flowing in the right direction, according to the John Hopkins Medicine website.
The prostate is subject to three major disorders including benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis and prostate cancer, according to the John Hopkins Medicine website. BPH is commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate, which is a common complaint among older men. Enlargement of the prostrate often causes problems with urination, and may require medicine or surgery to correct.
Prostatitis is caused by inflammation of the prostate and can become a chronic pain condition. Prostatitis may be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to BPH and prostate cancer symptoms. Diagnosis often involves a digital rectal exam to feel a swollen prostate, analysis of prostate secretions and urine for signs of inflammation and infection, and a prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test.
A positive PSA test can also signal the presence of cancer in the prostate. Because an elevated PSA level, by itself, is not enough to diagnose cancer, samples of prostate tissue are examined under a microscope to look for cancerous cells. Treatment for prostate cancer may involve traditional treatments like surgery and radiation, or more experimental treatments like high intensity focused ultrasound, or HIFU, according to the John Hopkins Medicine Health Alerts.
Cowper's glands and Seminal Vesicles
The bulbourethral, or Cowper's, glands are small pea-shaped glands lying just below the prostate. The role of these small glands is to add glycoproteins including PSA to the semen, and to help with the immune defense of the tubes that secrete semen and urine to the outside. These small glands can become infected, have cancerous cells, or develop stones or cysts.
The seminal vesicles produce another fluid portion of the semen. Seminal vesicle fluid contains a sperm nutrient sugar called fructose and coagulation factors that cause semen to be sticky and thickened after ejaculation. The seminal vesicles can become infected and also rarely form cysts, which can interfere with production of this necessary fluid.
