Laser-assisted removal of necrotic blastomeres from cryopreserved embryos that were partially damaged.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the developmental potential of embryos that were partially damaged after freezing and thawing can be improved by removal of necrotic blastomeres before embryo transfer.


METHODS
Prospective pilot study and observational clinical series.


METHODS
Private hospital.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty-five infertile couples undergoing frozen embryo transfer.


METHODS
Removal of necrotic blastomeres from frozen-thawed human embryos.


METHODS
Pregnancy and implantation rates.


RESULTS
Removal of necrotic blastomeres from partially damaged frozen-thawed embryos before transfer increased rates of pregnancy (45.7% vs. 17.1%), ongoing pregnancy (40.0% vs. 11.4%) and ongoing implantation (16.2% vs. 4.3%) compared with the control group, in which necrotic blastomeres were not removed. A similarly high implantation rate (16.7%) was seen a subsequent clinical series in which necrotic blastomeres were removed from all partially damaged embryos.


CONCLUSIONS
The viability of partially damaged frozen-thawed embryos can be improved by removal of necrotic blastomeres before embryo transfer.
Rienzi
Laura
L
Centre for Reproductive Medicine, European Hospital, Rome, Italy. laura@libero.it
Nagy
Zsolt Peter
ZP
Ubaldi
Filippo
F
Iacobelli
Marcello
M
Anniballo
Reno
R
Tesarik
Jan
J
Greco
Ermanno
E
D000328:Adult; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D009336:Necrosis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies