With assisted reproductive technology becoming increasingly mature today, male infertility is no longer an insurmountable obstacle. For men who have difficulty achieving natural conception due to very low sperm count, poor motility, or complete absence of sperm, doctors can obtain sperm through a series of minimally invasive or non-invasive methods, and then combine this with techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to help them become fathers.
Common sperm retrieval methods include testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and microdissection testicular sperm extraction (Micro-TESE). The former directly extracts sperm from testicular tissue through needle aspiration or a small incision and is suitable for patients with obstructive azoospermia; the latter precisely searches under an operating microscope for the small number of healthy sperm that may exist in the testicles and is particularly suitable for patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. In addition, for some patients, doctors may also use percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) or testicular sperm aspiration (TESA); these methods cause less trauma and require a shorter recovery time.
The choice of which sperm retrieval method to use must be comprehensively determined based on the patient's specific cause, hormone levels, and past medical history. For example, if azoospermia is caused by obstruction of the vas deferens, the success rate of retrieving sperm from the epididymis or testicles is usually higher; if it is due to testicular spermatogenic failure, reliance on microdissection sperm retrieval techniques is needed to "search for treasure" within testicular tissue. Before surgery, doctors will conduct a detailed evaluation, including semen analysis, genetic testing, and ultrasound examination, in order to formulate a personalized treatment plan.
The retrieved sperm will be used immediately for in vitro fertilization or cryopreservation. In the laboratory, embryologists will select sperm with normal morphology and good motility and directly inject them into eggs through ICSI technology to improve the fertilization success rate. For cases with very low sperm count, ICSI is especially important because it requires only one healthy sperm to complete fertilization. In recent years, the application of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) has further improved the pregnancy success rate for older patients or those with recurrent miscarriage, ensuring that the chromosomes of implanted embryos are normal.
The development of these technologies not only brings hope to male infertility patients but also spares many families from the distress of long-term infertility. However, before receiving treatment, patients should fully understand the success rates, risks, and costs of each technique and discuss them in depth with reproductive medicine specialists in order to choose the plan most suitable for themselves. It is worth noting that although sperm retrieval surgery is minimally invasive, there may still be a risk of temporary swelling or infection, and it must be performed in a professional medical institution.
Source: nation.co.ke. This article is a compiled report and is for general informational reference only.
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News | New Hope for Male Infertility: How Doctors Retrieve Sperm to Help Fulfill the Dream of Fatherhood
With assisted reproductive technology becoming increasingly mature today, male infertility is no longer an insurmountable obstacle. For men who have difficulty achieving natural conception due to very low sperm count, poor motility, or complete absence of sperm, doctors can obtain sperm through a series of minimally invasive or non-invasive methods, and then combine this with techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to help them become fathers.
Common sperm retrieval methods include testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and microdissection testicular sperm extraction (Micro-TESE). The former directly extracts sperm from testicular tissue through needle aspiration or a small incision and is suitable for patients with obstructive azoospermia; the latter precisely searches under an operating microscope for the small number of healthy sperm that may exist in the testicles and is particularly suitable for patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. In addition, for some patients, doctors may also use percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) or testicular sperm aspiration (TESA); these methods cause less trauma and require a shorter recovery time.
The choice of which sperm retrieval method to use must be comprehensively determined based on the patient's specific cause, hormone levels, and past medical history. For example, if azoospermia is caused by obstruction of the vas deferens, the success rate of retrieving sperm from the epididymis or testicles is usually higher; if it is due to testicular spermatogenic failure, reliance on microdissection sperm retrieval techniques is needed to "search for treasure" within testicular tissue. Before surgery, doctors will conduct a detailed evaluation, including semen analysis, genetic testing, and ultrasound examination, in order to formulate a personalized treatment plan.
The retrieved sperm will be used immediately for in vitro fertilization or cryopreservation. In the laboratory, embryologists will select sperm with normal morphology and good motility and directly inject them into eggs through ICSI technology to improve the fertilization success rate. For cases with very low sperm count, ICSI is especially important because it requires only one healthy sperm to complete fertilization. In recent years, the application of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) has further improved the pregnancy success rate for older patients or those with recurrent miscarriage, ensuring that the chromosomes of implanted embryos are normal.
The development of these technologies not only brings hope to male infertility patients but also spares many families from the distress of long-term infertility. However, before receiving treatment, patients should fully understand the success rates, risks, and costs of each technique and discuss them in depth with reproductive medicine specialists in order to choose the plan most suitable for themselves. It is worth noting that although sperm retrieval surgery is minimally invasive, there may still be a risk of temporary swelling or infection, and it must be performed in a professional medical institution.
Source: nation.co.ke. This article is a compiled report and is for general informational reference only.