title: Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration with motile trophozoite cells but no spermatozoa.
abstract: This paper reports on a patient in whom the clinical diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia was made according to clinical observations, i.e. azoospermia, normal andrological examination, normal follicle stimulating hormone and a misleading histopathological report of a testicular biopsy. Microsurgical vasoepididymostomy failed to restore fertility, and as a last resort, microsurgical sperm aspiration was performed. Although flagellated cells were observed in the epididymal aspiration, no spermatozoa were observed and wet preparation of multiple testicular biopsies failed to demonstrate any spermatozoon. This patient was diagnosed to have a non-obstructive azoospermia, resulting from maturation arrest associated with trichomonas infection at the level of the epididymis.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital of the Dutch-speaking Brussels Free University, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janssenswillen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tournaye
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pierard
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devroey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Steirteghem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004822:Epididymis / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013396:Suction; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000469:parasitology*