title: Cryopreservation of Ovarian Tissue: Detailed Description of Methods for Transport, Freezing and Thawing.
abstract: Purpose:In many cases cancer therapy leads to an irreversible reduction or even loss of ovarian reserve. Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue with subsequent thawing and re-transplantation of tissue after the cancer is in remission constitutes a promising method to preserve fertility in women. To date, more than 25 cases of live births after re-transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue have been published worldwide. In Germany the first live birth after re-transplantation of cryopreserved tissue was in 2011.Material and Methods:After surgical removal of ovarian tissue in the Gynaecological Clinic of Dresden University, the tissue was sent to the Gynaecological Clinic of Bonn University in a special transport container at 5 °C and was frozen the next day using 1.5 M dimethyl sulfoxide cryosolution. In 2010 this ovarian tissue was thawed using a sucrose solution in the Gynaecological Clinic of Erlangen University Clinical Centre and was laparoscopically re-transplanted into the patient.Results:The patient became pregnant, the pregnancy was uneventful, and she gave birth to a healthy boy.Conclusion:Freezing of ovarian tissue with subsequent re-transplantation as described here is a viable method to preserve fertility in cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Köln, Cologne.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Isachenko
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik des Universitätsklinikums Erlangen, Erlangen.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dittrich
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Dresden, Dresden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Keck
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Köln, Cologne.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isachenko
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Köln, Cologne.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Ven
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montag
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik des Universitätsklinikums Erlangen, Erlangen.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik des Universitätsklinikums Erlangen, Erlangen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Dresden, Dresden.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Distler
authors.affiliation: Frauenklinik des Universitätsklinikums Erlangen, Erlangen.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Köln, Cologne.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mallmann
keywords: birth; ovary; reproductive medicine