Increase in scrotal temperature in laptop computer users

Sheynkin, Yefim
Jung, Michael
Yoo, Peter
Schulsinger, David
Komaroff, Eugene

¹Department of Urology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY 11794-8093, USA
³General Clinical Research Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY 11794-8093, USA

²To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Urology, SUNY at Stony Brook, HSC level 9 room 040, Stony Brook NY 11794-8093, USA. Email: [email protected]

Submitted on May 4, 2004; resubmitted on September 27, 2004; accepted onOctober 21, 2004

Human Reproduction 20(2):p 452-455, February 2005.

BACKGROUND

Scrotal hyperthermia has been identified as a risk factor for male infertility. Laptop computers (LC) have become part of a contemporary lifestyle and have gained popularity among the younger population of reproductive age. LC are known to reach high internal operating temperatures. We evaluated the thermal effect of LC on the scrotum.

METHODS

Right and left scrotal temperature (ScT) was measured in 29 healthy volunteers in two separate 60 min sessions. ScT was recorded from thermocouples on a digital datalogger every 3 min with the working LC in a laptop position and in the same sitting position with approximated thighs without LC.

RESULTS

ScT increased significantly on the right and left side in the group with working LC (2.8°C and 2.6°C, respectively; P<0001) and without LC (2.1°C, P<0.0001). However, ScT elevation with working LC was significantly higher (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Working LC in a laptop position causes significant ScT elevation as a result of heat exposure and posture-related effects. Long-term exposure to LC-related repetitive transient scrotal hyperthermia is a modern lifestyle feature that may have a negative impact upon spermatogenesis, specifically in teenage boys and young men. Further studies of such thermal effects on male reproductive health are warranted.