INDICATIONS FOR AND RESULTS OF INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION (ICSI)

In this report the indications for, and the results of, 1275 consecuti ve ICSI cycles carried out between October 1991 and December 1993 are described. Failure of fertilization in at least one previous IVF cycle , semen parameters below the threshold for standard IVF treatment and successful MESA or TESE procedure performed in patients with obstructi ve or non-obstructive azoospermia, respectively, were the indications in these ICSI cycles. In 1194 cycles, ejaculated spermatozoa were used , whereas 59 and 17 cycles were performed with epididymal and testicul ar spermatozoa, respectively. The normal fertilization rate was signif icantly higher with ejaculated spermatozoa than with epididymal or tes ticular spermatozoa, but no differences were observed with regard to e mbryo quality, the percentages of transfer after ICSI and the clinical pregnancy rates in the three groups of patients.