Pregnancy with frozen-thawed and fresh testicular biopsy after motile and immotile sperm microinjection, using the mechanical touch technique to assess viability.
BACKGROUND
There are few reports of pregnancy using immotile sperm, and none using a purely mechanical assessment of viability.


METHODS
In this pilot study, we retrospectively analysed 66 cycles in 61 patients with determinant male factor, recording rates of fertilization, implantation, normal pregnancy and take-home babies achieved with ICSI. Sperm selection was based on morphologically normal appearance under the inverted microscope. Viability of immotile spermatozoa was assessed by the mechanical touch technique to observe tail flexibility and tail shape recovery.


RESULTS
Of 17 ICSI cycles using frozen-thawed testicular sperm, six microinjected with immotile and 11 with motile sperm, we achieved fertilization rates of 65.7 and 74.3%, respectively, and five pregnancies (two and three, respectively). Of 49 ICSI cycles using fresh testicular sperm, 10 microinjected with immotile and 39 with motile sperm, we achieved fertilization rates of 73.4 and 64.4%, respectively, and 12 pregnancies (three and nine, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Immotile (fresh and frozen-thawed) testicular sperm of normal morphological appearance can be used to achieve clinical pregnancy with ICSI. Our results strongly suggest that immotile sperm viability can be assessed by the mechanical touch technique.
de Oliveira
Neuda Marques
NM
Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Servicio de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Unidad de Reproducción Humana,Carretera General, Ofra S/N La Cuesta, 38320 La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. neudam@hotmail.com
Vaca Sánchez
Rebeca
R
Rodriguez Fiesta
Sonsoles
S
Lopez Salgado
Tomas
T
Rodríguez
Rubi
R
Bethencourt
Jose C Alberto
JC
Blanes Zamora
Raquel
R
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome