Use of lasers in assisted fertilization and hatching.
The erbium-yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er:YAG) laser has been applied to micromanipulation in humans. It was used in the fertilization process for both subzonal insemination (SUZI) and for partial zona dissection (PZD). Laser-assisted micromanipulation achieved significantly higher fertilization rates (34.8%) when compared to mechanical SUZI (16.1%), but use of the laser did not improve the PZD results (laser 14.8% versus mechanical 14%). The Er:YAG laser was used to assist hatching. In the mouse it significantly improved the hatching rate (80 versus 29.3%) 110 h after administration of human chorionic gonadotrophin. This technique was applied in two different centres to patients with previous in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures. the implantation rate per embryo (14.4% laser-assisted hatching versus 6% control group) and the pregnancy rate per transfer (40 versus 16.2%) were improved.
Institute of Sterility Treatment, Vienna, Austria.
A
A
Obruca
H
H
Strohmer
D
D
Sakkas
Y
Y
Menezo
A
A
Kogosowski
Y
Y
Barak
W
W
Feichtinger
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000648:ultrastructure