FERTILIZATION AFTER INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION WITH CRYOPRESERVED TESTICULAR SPERMATOZOA

Objective: To assess the possibility of cryopreserving testicular tiss ue extracted sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Design : A report of two eases. Our study was approved by the Ethical Committ ee at the Institute Valenciano de Infertilidad. Setting: In vitro fert ilization program at the Institute Valenciano de Infertilidad. Patient s: Two azoospermic patients with severe spermatogenic failure but with focal spermatogenesis on testicular biopsies. In both cases, a first ICSI attempt with fresh testicular biopsy extracted sperm was unsucces sful. Interventions: Cryopreservation of testicular spermatozoa in 100 -mu L ''pills.'' Intracytoplasmic sperm injection with thawed testicul ar spermatozoa. Main Outcome Measurements: Fertilization rate, cleavag e rate, embryo quality, clinical pregnancy. Results: Fertilization rat es were 36% and 100% after ICSI with fresh testicular spermatozoa, and 63% and 57% after ICSI with cryopreserved testicular sperm. In both c ases, cleavage rates and embryo quality were similar when using fresh and cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa. No clinical pregnancies were achieved. Conclusion: High fertilization rates can be obtained after ICSI with frozen-thawed testicular tissue extracted spermatozoa. Cryop reservation of testicular sperm may avoid repetition of testicular bio psies in azoospermic patients in whom the only source of spermatozoa i s the testicle.