Publikation

Stay cool! Special underwear for cyclic cooling significantly decreases scrotal skin temperature

Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review - 08.07.2021

Bereiche
PubMed
DOI

Zitation
Zumstein V, Vetterlein M, Hoffer A, Schmid H, Engeler D, Betschart P. Stay cool! Special underwear for cyclic cooling significantly decreases scrotal skin temperature. Cent European J Urol 2021; 74:468-470.
Art
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review (Englisch)
Zeitschrift
Cent European J Urol 2021; 74
Veröffentlichungsdatum
08.07.2021
ISSN (Druck)
2080-4806
Seiten
468-470
Kurzbeschreibung/Zielsetzung

Introduction
Male reproductive health is rapidly declining during the past decades and it is well known that scrotal temperature is linked to male infertility.

Material and methods
We performed a prospective data evaluation within a counterfactual analysis study design. Scrotal cooling was performed using Snowballs™ underwear, scrotal temperature was monitored using a wireless temperature sensor (SensorPush, Brooklyn, NY, 11215).

Results
Overall, scrotal skin temperatures were monitored for 1008 hours. Median scrotal skin temperature was 34.6°C (IQR 33.1 to 35.3) and 35.3°C (IQR 34.4 to 35.9) in the experimental (SnowWedge™) period and control period, respectively, which was significantly different (P <0.001).

Conclusions
Cyclic scrotal skin cooling using specialized underwear is feasible and efficacious without impairing the activities of daily living and reduces median scrotal skin temperature significantly by 0.7°C. Given the proven association of scrotal skin temperature and semen quality, cyclic scrotal skin cooling by a device such as Snowballs™ underwear may eventually increase semen quality and fertility.