Role of tissue digestion and extensive sperm search after microdissection testicular sperm extraction.

Objective: To report the chance of sperm discovery in the laboratory when sperm were not identified in the operating room (OR).

Design: Clinical retrospective study.

Setting: Department of urology at a tertiary university hospital.

Chromosome analysis of epididymal and testicular sperm in azoospermic patients undergoing ICSI.

Background: Although ICSI provides a way of treating azoospermic men, concern has been raised about the potential risk for transmission of genetic abnormalities to the offspring. We quantified the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in epididymal and testicular sperm retrieved from azoospermic patients undergoing ICSI.

Methods: Individual testicular sperm were collected from testicular biopsies with an ICSI pipette, and epididymal sperm were retrieved by microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration.

ICSI and its outcome.

Since its introduction in 1992, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has become a popular assisted fertilization technique proved very efficient in treating male factor infertility. Many healthy children have been born worldwide from this procedure, and their physical and mental development appears to be within the normal limits. However, because of the peculiarity of the technique and the poor characteristics of the spermatozoa used, concern about the safety of ICSI still exist.

Use of electively cryopreserved microsurgically aspirated epididymal sperm with IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection for obstructive azoospermia.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of using intentionally cryopreserved epididymal sperm in selected cases of obstructive azoospermia.

Design: A retrospective, nonrandomized study.

Setting: Academic research environment.