Sexual and Reproductive Medicine

Sexual and Reproductive Medicine Program

 

The Sexual and Reproductive Medicine program offers the latest clinical and surgical techniques to treat men with infertility, Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction.  Expertise is provided by fellowship trained subspecialists housed at Vancouver General Hospital. Dr. Flannigan (Flannigan Fertility) & Dr. Nigro also work closely with local Fertility Centers such as Olive Fertility, Pacific Centre Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) and Genesis Fertility.

 

Dr. Flannigan completed 2-years of subspecialty fellowship training at Weill Cornell Medicine under mentorship of pioneers Dr. Marc Goldstein and Dr. Peter Schlegel as well as Memorial Sloan Kettering under mentorship of Dr. John Mulhall. Dr. Flannigan is director of the Male Reproduction and Sexual Medicine Research Program within the Department of Urologic Sciences. Dr. Flannigan is also the clinic lead for Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Sexual Medicine Program in British Columbia.

 

Dr. Nigro has a wealth of 30 years experience treating male infertility, sexual medicine, neurogenic dysfunction and renal transplant. Dr. Nigro is co-director and co-founder of the Vancouver Ejaculatory Dysfunction clinic which is a Canadian Center for infertility problems for spinal injured males.

 

Clinical & Surgical Expertise

Infertility:

  • General male infertility evaluation and treatment
  • Microsurgical vasectomy reversals including vasovasostomy & vasoepdididymostomy
  • Sperm Retrieval
    • microTESE for men with non-obstructive azoospermia
    • TESE, TESA, PESA, MESA sperm retrieval for IVF
    • Vibrostim & Electro-ejaculation sperm retrieval for men with spinal cord injury
    • Onco-fertility preservation
  • Varicocele Repair
    • Microsurgical subinguinal
    • Embolization (radiology)
  • Adjuvant hormone therapy

 

Sexual Medicine:

  • Peyronie’s disease
    • Xiaflex & Verapamil injections
    • Penile traction
    • Plaque incision & grafting
    • Plication
    • Penile implant
  • Erectile dysfunction
    • Medical therapy
    • Penile implant
  • Low Testosterone
  • Vasectomy

 

Research

Directed by Dr. Flannigan, the Sexual and Reproductive Medicine Research Program aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of male infertility, and Peyronie’s disease. This research is based at the Vancouver Prostate Centre and is highly collaborative in nature. Using state-of-the-art genomic and molecular biology techniques such as single cell sequencing, 3-D bio-printing and AI machine learning, we are making strides to identify novel therapies for men suffering with infertility and Peyronie’s disease. These discoveries are being translated to clinical trials (enquire to the Department of Urologic Sciences).  Research is supported by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), New Frontier’s Research Fund (CIHR-NSERC-SSHRC), Canadian Urological Association Scholarship Fund (CUASF), American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI).

 

Interested in supporting our research? Donations can bring us closer to our goals of establishing new treatments, donate here, and direct your contribution to the ‘Male Reproduction & Sexual Medicine Research Program’.