title: Cumulative pregnancy rate after ICSI with cryopreserved testicular tissue in non-obstructive azoospermia.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to describe a simplified and inexpensive method of testicular tissue freezing, to assess the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) by this technique, and to provide useful information for counselling couples with non-obstructive azoospermia. One hundred and sixty-five couples with non-obstructive azoospermic males pursuing assisted conception, from December 1995 to December 2002, were included. In all cases, the testicular tissue retrieved by open multiple-biopsy (both sides, by testicular sperm extraction) was frozen using a simple liquid nitrogen vapour freezing technique and was stored in liquid nitrogen thereafter. Only mature spermatozoa were used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) after thawing. Expected CPR were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. A total of 281 cycles were performed resulting in 53 clinical pregnancies. Crude and expected CPR (95% confidence intervals) after three cycles were 32.1 (25.7-40.1) and 55.7% (37.0-74.4) respectively. In conclusion, this simplified method for freezing testicular tissue resulted in a satisfactory outcome after ICSI in cases of non-obstructive azoospermia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dafopoulos
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griesinger
authors.forename: Askan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schultze-Mosgau
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Orief
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schöpper
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nikolettos
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diedrich
authors.forename: Safaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hasani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013737:Testis