title: Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the management of infertility due to obstructive azoospermia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the recovery rate of spermatozoa from the epididymis using a percutaneous aspiration technique and to examine the fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private infertility clinic, London.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with obstructive azoospermia who each had an attempt at IVF. The sperm used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection was retrieved by percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration in 16 patients. In one patient, microepididymal sperm aspiration was performed in addition because the quality of the sperm obtained by percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration was not considered suitable for microinjection. In the remaining three patients, neither percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration nor microepididymal sperm aspiration resulted in the recovery of sperm, which was obtained by testicular biopsy in one of them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assisted fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal fertilization and pregnancy rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 179 eggs were collected and 157 subsequently were microinjected. Normal fertilization occurred in 22 oocytes (14%) and the total number of embryos cleaved was 30. Twelve patients underwent ET in which three conceived (pregnancy rate 25% per transfer). The implantation rate was 10% and failed fertilization occurred in four cycles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration can be used successfully to recover sperm in men with obstructive azoospermia for use in assisted fertilization IVF cycles. The technique is simple, effective, and less traumatic compared with an open microsurgical operation.
authors.affiliation: London Gynaecology and Fertility Centre, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Craft
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsirigotis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taranissi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khalifa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hogewind
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003593:Cytoplasm; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000150:complications*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*