title: Comparison of laser-assisted hatching and acidified Tyrode's hatching by evaluation of blastocyst development rates in sibling embryos: a prospective randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess two zona drilling methods in terms of blastocyst development rates using sister embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized study. Sister embryos of 14 patients were randomly assigned on day 3 to acidified Tyrode's zona drilling or to laser zona drilling. After biopsy, subsequent embryo culture until the blastocyst stage (day 5) was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private fertility center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing IVF-preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Embryo biopsy using either laser-assisted hatching or acidified Tyrode's hatching on sibling embryos and subsequent blastocyst development evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of blastocyst development in terms of degree of expansion and cell number in the inner cell mass and trophectoderm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blastocyst development rates (and blastocyst quality) were similarly high in both the acidified Tyrode's hatching group and the laser-assisted hatching group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser hatching does not impair embryonic development to the blastocyst stage, demonstrating that laser-assisted hatching is a suitable alternative to the use of acidified Tyrode's solution for zona drilling.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biology Associates, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. hesikaij@aol.com
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Hilton I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Kort
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: Zsolt P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007552:Isotonic Solutions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007834:Lasers; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019836:Preimplantation Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D007552:Isotonic Solutions; C037692:Tyrode's solution