title: Effect of testicular spermatozoa on embryo quality and pregnancy in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia.
abstract: This study was performed to assess and compare the outcomes of testicular sperm extraction (TESE)-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using spermatozoa from fresh and frozen testicular tissue from men with subgroups of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). A total of 110 cycles of TESE-ICSI were performed. Patients were classified into one of the following NOA subgroups: hypospermatogenesis (HS), maturation arrest (MA), or Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCO). Laboratory (fertilization, cleavage stage of embryo, and good quality embryo) and clinical (pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, implantation, and delivery) outcomes were assessed. No statistically significant differences were observed in any of the other measured parameters between the three subgroups of NOA. No significant differences in laboratory outcomes were observed between spermatozoa from fresh and frozen testicular spermatozoa; however, statistically significant differences were observed in the pregnancy and implantation rates between groups (p < 0.05). The outcomes of using spermatozoa retrieved from fresh testicular tissue in each of the three subgroups were also compared; although clinical outcomes showed low results, no significant differences were observed between the three subgroups. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in spermatozoa retrieved from frozen testicular tissue. Once spermatozoa have been successfully obtained, acceptable laboratory outcomes can be achieved for NOA, whether or not the spermatozoa are cryopreserved. However, satisfactory clinical outcomes may be more difficult to achieve as the results showed in each group of fresh and frozen testicular spermatozoa. Therefore, achieving acceptable clinical pregnancy results and efficient cryopreservation of testicular spermatozoa should be considered in patients with NOA.
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine .
authors.forename: Yong-Seog
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine .
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine .
authors.forename: Chun Kyu
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: a Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine .
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , and.
authors.forename: Kwang Moon
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: c Department of Urology , Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center, Dankook University College of Medicine , Seoul , Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000601:surgery*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D053625:Sperm Retrieval; D013094:Spermatozoa
keywords: Hypospermatogenesis; male infertility; maturation arrest; non-obstructive azoospermia; sertoli cell-only syndrome; testicular sperm extraction (TESE)