What is surgical Sperm Retrieval?
- Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA)
- Microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA)
- Testicular sperm aspiration (TESA)
- Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) – single or multi-site
- Microscope-assisted testicular sperm extraction (MicroTESE)
When is surgical sperm retrieval recommended?
Sperm retrieval treatment is usually recommended when men have little to no sperm in their semen, or rarely when men have sperm but are not able to ejaculate.
How is infertility in men diagnosed?
The doctor will discuss the medical history of the patient and perform a physical examination to see if any physical issues may be causing infertility. Diagnostic tests will be recommended to evaluate semen. A semen analysis will show the doctor the amount of semen that is ejaculated, semen count, morphology and motility of semen. Blood tests will check for genetic or hormone problems. Doctors may recommend an ultrasound of the scrotum which can show any problems in the veins carrying blood to and from the testicles. Other tests will show if there is any infection. All these tests, and possibly more, show the doctor whether there is any problem that is causing infertility.
Why do some men have no sperm in their semen?
This condition is known as Azoospermia. There are two types of azoospermia, obstructive and nonobstructive. When sperms are produced in the testes in good amounts but unable to come into the semen due to a block in the passage it is known as Obstructive azoospermia. When the testes itself produces no or extremely low amount of sperm due to a primary testicular issue, it is known as Nonobstructive Azoospermia. Nonobstructive Azoospermia is often due to genetics or a pathology affecting the testes. Obstructive Azoospermia occurs as a result of absence of the vas deferens (the duct which carries the sperm) or due to a blockage along the tract usually due to previous infection, trauma or surgery. In some cases no cause can be found in the same way that, some female fertility problems have no known cause.
When is sperm typically extracted?
IVF laboratories usually prefer fresh semen and therefore a microsurgical sperm extraction is typically done on the same day that of egg retrieval. This can be applied to men who can ejaculate sperm but have poor sperm quality, and those with azoospermia. Most commonly performed are testicular sperm aspiration, and testicular sperm extraction. At Xenith a Micro TESE under microscopic guidance is done for all cases of Nonobstructive Azoospermia.
How long does the surgical sperm retrieval treatment take?
Depending on the type of procedure it usually lasts between 20mins to more than an hour. In some cases of Nonobstructive azoospermia it can even take longer. The time taken depends on the technique used, how soon sperms are found, and also the cause of azoospermia.
What is the recovery time after sperm extraction treatment?
The recovery time after surgical sperm extraction will depend on the method used. Men are advised to avoid strenuous activity for a week at least. You will be prescribed medication for the pain and antibiotics to lower the risk of infection. Many men resume work the next day but it may take 5 to 10 days before you can engage in heavy work.
Xenith being one of the best surgical sperm retrieval clinics in PCMC, Pune, carries out the correct diagnosis and only then suggests surgical sperm retrieval treatment at very competitive costs.