How are sperm surgically retrieved?
Sperm blocked by obstructive azoospermia can be removed by various microsurgical approaches. In each case, the goal is to obtain the best quality and number of cells, not to mention minimizing damage to the reproductive tract so future attempts at retrieval or surgical reconstruction are not jeopardized. Often known by their acronyms, these procedures include: Testicular sperm extraction (TESE): This is a most common technique to not only diagnose the cause of azoospermia, but also to obtain sufficient tissue for sperm extraction to be used either fresh or as a cryopreserved (frozen) specimen.It involves one or multiple small biopsies often performed in the office. Testicular fine needle aspiration (TFNA): Initially a diagnostic procedure in azoospermic men, it is now sometimes used to recover sperm from the testicles.A needle and syringe puncture the skin to aspirate a sperm specimen. Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA): Advocated because it can be performed repeatedly at
