title: Comparison of three sperm retrieval techniques in spinal cord-injured men: pregnancy outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare pregnancy outcomes between three sperm retrieval techniques - electroejaculation, testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and prostatic massage - in spinal cord-injured men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients who became paraplegic due to spinal cord injuries by land mines and bullets, and who underwent infertility treatment during 1998-2005, were included. Eight men were treated with rectal probe electroejaculation, 26 with TESE and ten with prostatic massage. The pregnancy rate and live birth rate resulting from the embryo transfers of all cycles were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight singleton pregnancies were achieved, two in the electroejaculation group, four in the TESE group and two in the prostatic massage group. Live birth rate was not significantly different between the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the different sperm retrieval techniques used to obtain semen in spinal cord-injured men resulted in similar pregnancy outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology Unit, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and Medical School, Gülhane, Turkey. ustunyaprak@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Engin-Uml Stün
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Namik Kemal
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Duru
authors.forename: Iskender
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Başer
mesh_terms: D004542:Ejaculation; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011467:Prostate; D012099:Reproductive Techniques; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*