| Comparison of ICSI Outcomes between Fresh and Cryopreserved-Thawed Testicular Spermatozoa. |
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Young Sik Choi, Young Min Choi, Soo Woong Kim, Jae Seung Paick, Byung Chul Jee, Seung Yup Ku, Chang Suk Suh, Seok Hyun Kim, Jung Gu Kim, Shin Yong Moon |
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
3Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Population, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
4Department of Urology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. |
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| Abstract |
OBJECTIVE
To compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa in patients with azoospermia. METHODS: One hundred and nine cycles (66 couples) where ICSI was planned with fresh or cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa were included in this study; Ninety two cycles (61 couples) with fresh testicular spermatozoa (fresh group) and seventeen cycles (13 couples) with cryopreserved-thawed testicular spermatozoa (cryopreserved-thawed group). We compared ICSI outcomes such as fertilization rate, implantation rate, pregnancy rate and miscarriage rate, which were statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. RESULTS: In 9 out of the 92 cycles where ICSI was planned with fresh testicular spermatozoa, testicular spermatozoa could not be retrieved. Fertilization rate tended to be higher in the fresh group than in the cryopreserved-thawed group (58.0+/-27.8% vs. 45.9+/-25.0%, p=0.076). The number of high quality embryos was significantly higher in the fresh group (0.9+/-1.2 vs. 0.2+/-0.5, p=0.002). However, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that although the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm for ICSI in patients with azoospermia may reduce fertilization capacity and embryo quality, it may not affect pregnancy rate, implantation rate and miscarriage rate. If testicular sperm can be obtained before ICSI procedure, the use of cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm may also avoid unnecessary controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and cancellation of oocyte retrieval when spermatozoa cannot be retrieved as well as damage on testicular function by repeated TESE. |
| Key Words:
Azoospermia; Testicular sperm retrieval; Cryopreservation; Intracytoplasmic sperm injection |
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