SERTOLI-CELL-ONLY SYNDROME

Course overview

SERTOLI CELL-ONLY SYNDROME, ALSO KNOWN AS DEL CASTILLO SYNDROME OR GERM CELL APLASIA, TYPICALLY OCCURS IN MALES BETWEEN THE AGE OF 20 AND 40. IN THIS SYNDROME, ONLY SERTOLI CELLS LINE THE SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES OF THE TESTIS, AND THE PATIENTS HAVE VERY LOW OR ABSENT SPERMATOGENESIS. THESE PATIENTS ARE TYPICALLY NORMAL ON PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AS THIS CONDITION PRESENTS WITH INFERTILITY WITHOUT SEXUAL ABNORMALITY. DIAGNOSIS IS USUALLY MADE BASED ON TESTICULAR BIOPSY FINDINGS. PATIENTS CAN STILL REPRODUCE WITH ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SERTOLI CELL-ONLY SYNDROME AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.