title: Percutaneous cutting needle biopsies for histopathological assessment and sperm retrieval in men with azoospermia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Twenty-three men (45 testes) with azoospermia underwent percutaneous testicular biopsy under local anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all but one of the 45 testes two biopsies were taken close to each other, one with a 16 gauge (n = 44) and another with a 14 gauge (n = 45) cutting needle, both with a 19 mm notch. Three quarters of the tissue was used for histopathological assessment and one quarter for direct microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The histopathological findings were similar between the two needles. The observations with direct microscopy corresponded with the histopathological assessments concerning the presence of mature spermatids in 41 of 45 (91%) biopsies using the 14 gauge and in 40 of 44 (91%) biopsies using the 16 gauge needle. There were no post-operative complications except for minimal pain and minor local swelling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous material retrieved using 16 gauge and 14 gauge needles is sufficient for histopathological assessment, and the two needles are equally reliable for testicular sperm retrieval. However, needle biopsy with one puncture may not be representative of the entire testis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Andrology Centre, Huddinge University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. bjorn.rosenlund@obgyn.hs.sll.se
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosenlund
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kvist
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plöen
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ekström
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hovatta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009339:Needles; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000473:pathology*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*