TRANSPERITONEAL SEMINAL VESICULECTOMY

Since the first seminal vesiculectomy was reported by Ullmann in 1890, comparatively few surgeons of large experience have had the opportunity to perform this operation. In general, the accepted methods of surgical approach to the seminal vesicles are divided into two main classes: the perineal and the suprapubic extraperitoneal operations. Numerous modifications¹ have been devised in an attempt to overcome some of the difficulties and disadvantages of both of these methods. It is obvious that both the abdominal extraperitoneal operation and the operation by the perineal route require extensive dissection and, as a result, the laying open of large raw surfaces to infection from the already inflamed vesicles (Villard²). Furthermore, both of these operations are technically difficult, and several times have had to be abandoned because the vesicles could not be reached or properly exposed (Walker,³ Weir,⁴ Baudet and Kendirdjy⁵). Platon and Béloséroff, operating on