Advances in the Management of Male Infertility: Innovative Strategies and Emerging Technologies for Improved Diagnosis and Treatment, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Male infertility contributes to approximately half of all cases of couple subfertility, yet a substantial proportion of affected men still receive a diagnosis of idiopathic infertility, reflecting persistent gaps in our mechanistic understanding and in the sensitivity of conventional diagnostics. The conventional semen analysis, although indispensable, correlates only modestly with reproductive potential, and the management of severe phenotypes, most notably non-obstructive azoospermia, remains among the most demanding challenges in reproductive urology and andrology. At the same time, converging evidence on oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, the reproductive-tract microbiome, and endocrine and genetic contributors is reshaping how we conceptualize, stratify, and treat the infertile male.

Building on the momentum of the first volume, this second volume seeks to capture the rapid translational progress in the field. Advances in molecular diagnostics, sperm functional and DNA-integrity testing, microsurgical and imaging-guided sperm retrieval, and artificial intelligence and machine-learning-based predictive models are moving andrology toward a more individualized, precision-oriented practice. This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent advances in the diagnosis and management of male infertility, spanning innovative diagnostic strategies, emerging therapeutic technologies, and translational insights that bridge bench and bedside. We welcome original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and expert perspectives.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Non-obstructive azoospermia: predictors of successful retrieval and optimization of micro-TESE/TESE outcomes;
• Advanced sperm function and DNA fragmentation testing and their clinical utility;
• Biomarkers and predictive or prognostic models, including artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools;
• The seminal and male reproductive-tract microbiome and its role in fertility;
• Oxidative stress, inflammation, and antioxidant strategies in male infertility;
• Genetic and epigenetic causes of male infertility and their diagnostic work-up;
• Hypogonadism, testosterone therapy, and endocrine management of the infertile male;
• Varicocele: contemporary indications, techniques, and outcomes;
• Lifestyle, environmental, and nutritional determinants of male reproductive health;
• Integration of andrology with assisted reproductive technologies;
• Novel and regenerative therapies, including stem-cell- and gene-based approaches;
• Translational and molecular urology and andrology bridging bench and bedside.

Dr. Aris Kaltsas
Guest Editor

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