Length of Epididymis

Epididymis is the tube that carries the urine as well as the sperm out through the penis

The length of epididymis in male reproductive organs usually ranges between 5 and 7 metres long or 20 to 23 ft in length.

What is Epididymis?

The epididymis is a convoluted duct of the male reproductive system, which is involved in the storage of the produced sperms. It is a tube like structure, made up of smooth muscles and is present within the testes.

In epididymis, the produced sperms are matured, stored and are passed into urethra through the muscular tube called vas deferens. Here, the sperms are stored for 20 to 30 days. Other than the storage and maturation of sperms, epididymis also functions by carrying the urine as well as the sperm out through the penis.

Read more: Male Reproductive System

Structure and Functions of Epididymis

As mentioned above, the epididymis is a thin and tightly coiled tube like structure, present at the back of the testis. Epididymis is found in all male reproductive systems, including humans, mammals, reptiles and also in birds. In adult humans, the length of epididymis usually ranges between 6 and 7 meters (20 to 23 ft) in length.

The main function of epididymis is to connect the efferent ductules from the rear of each testicles and testicle to a vas deferens in the male reproductive system.

Disorders of Epididymis

Epididymis is a supporting structure of the male reproductive system and is also called the site of sperm maturation.

Epididymitis is an inflammation of epididymis, which is the most common risk in young men between the age of 19 and 35 years old. This syndrome is usually diagnosed in 1 among 1000 men.

Acute and chronic epididymitis are the type of bacterial infections caused by the following factors:

1. Being uncircumcised.
2. Regular use of a urethral catheter.
3. Recent surgery or a history of structural problems in the urinary tract.
4. Sexual intercourse with more than one partner and not using condoms.

Symptoms of Epididymitis

The symptoms of acute and chronic Epididymitis are listed below:

• Fever
• Chills
• Lump in the testicle
• Discharge from the urethra
• Blood discharge during ejaculation
• Heavy sensation in the testicle area
• Testicle pain gets worse with pressure
• Discomfort in the lower abdomen or pelvis
• Pain or burning during urination or ejaculation

Diagnosis and Treatment for Epididymitis

This type of inflammation in epididymitis can be diagnosed both by physical examination and other body fluid tests including the complete blood count, followed by the testicular scan and Doppler ultrasound . Once the patients are diagnosed by the bacterial infections, it can be cured by certain antibacterial drugs, injections and other medication to reduce and improve the symptoms of the infections.

Preventive or Safety measure for Epididymitis

There are certain safety measures, which need to be followed. This is for a complete cure and to avoid recurrent infections. The precautions include:

1. Healthy lifestyle
2. Practising safe sex
3. Treating sexual partners as a contact to epididymitis
4. Avoid sex until the individual and sex partners have completed treatment
5. Repeat followups and screenings for sexual transmitted infections every 2 months.

This article concludes the introduction to epididymis, their structure, functions and the inflammations of epididymis. For more details on epididymis, the length of epididymis and any other related topics, visit us at BYJU’S Biology