Tissue perfusion-controlled guided biopsies are essential for the outcome of testicular sperm extraction

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 87; no. 5; pp. 1071 - 1076
• Main Authors: Herwig, Ralf, M.D, Tosun, Kadir, M.D, Schuster, Antonius, M.D, Rehder, Peter, M.D, Glodny, Bernhard, M.D, Wildt, Ludwig, M.D, Illmensee, Karl, Ph.D, Pinggera, Germar-Michael, M.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; assisted reproductive technology (ART); Azoospermia - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Birth control; color Doppler ultrasound; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Internal Medicine; intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); Laser Doppler flowmetry; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry - instrumentation; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Perfusion - instrumentation; Perfusion - methods; perfusion-controlled testicular biopsy testicular sperm extraction (TESE); Sperm Count - instrumentation; Sperm Count - methods; Spermatozoa - pathology; Sterility. Assisted procreation; Testis - pathology; Tissue and Organ Harvesting - instrumentation; Tissue and Organ Harvesting - methods; assisted reproductive technology (ART); Laser Doppler flowmetry; perfusion-controlled testicular biopsy testicular sperm extraction (TESE); intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI); color Doppler ultrasound; Doppler ultrasound study; Sonography; Human; Prognosis; Intracytoplasmic sperm injection; Assisted procreation; Guidance; Anatomic pathology; Azoospermia; Testicular sperm extraction; Biopsy; Fertility; Perfusion; Technology; Male sterility; Flowmetry; Male genital diseases; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.10.010

Objective To determine if there are areas of major and minor perfusion in a single testicle, and if the quality and quantity of sperm are correlated with the level of perfusion, we collected testicular tissue from areas with different levels of perfusion. Design Controlled clinical study. Setting Consecutive patients with azoospermia. Patient(s) Patients with azoospermia undergoing testicular sperm extraction (TESE) biopsy for the retrieval of sperm to be used in an assisted reproduction program. Intervention(s) Perfusion mapping was performed with the use of color Doppler ultrasound. Areas with different levels of perfusion were marked with needles. After incision with radiofrequency cutting, the exposed tissue was examined with a laser Doppler flowmeter, and biopsies were taken for TESE and histology. Sperm were analyzed using World Health Organization criteria, and prepared for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Main Outcome Measure(s) Correlation of sperm quality and quantity in testicular-tissue biopsies, with tissue-perfusion units (TPU) measured by laser Doppler flowmeter. Result(s) From 40 biopsies taken from 20 testicles of 12 patients, tissue was analyzed for sperm quality and quantity. Sperm quality was highest in areas of high tissue perfusion. In areas of 70 TPU, 72.3% progressive sperm were detected, whereas in areas of 10 TPU, only 13.3% progressive sperm and elevated numbers of precursor cells could be observed. The number of motile sperm isolated from tissue samples correlated well with the intensity of tissue perfusion. Conclusion(s) We have shown for the first time that in patients suffering from azoospermia, sperm quality and quantity depend on tissue perfusion within the testicle.