title: Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic injection of sperm collected by fine needle biopsy of the testis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection with sperm collected by fine needle biopsy of the testis as a treatment for male genital tract obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm isolated from a fine needle biopsy of the testis were used to inseminate oocytes by intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital-based tertiary referral infertility service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case studies of two couples in whom the male partner had a genital tract obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertilization and pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first case, 9 oocytes fertilized normally out of 13 injected. After the transfer of fresh (one cycle) and frozen (four cycles) embryos, a single intrauterine fetal heart pregnancy was achieved. In the second case, five oocytes fertilized normally from nine oocytes injected; two embryos were transferred fresh and three were frozen. A single fetal heart intrauterine gestation was obtained after the initial transfer of two fresh embryos.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high normal fertilization rate and pregnancies are possible with intracytoplasmic sperm injection using sperm collected directly from the testis. Sperm retrieval by fine needle biopsy offers a viable alternative to microsurgical aspiration and is also suitable for treating patients with intratesticular blockage.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biology Unit, Royal Women's Hospital, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Speirs
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003593:Cytoplasm; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology