A SIMPLE APPROACH TO INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION

Objective: To describe a simple injection apparatus and method for per forming intracytoplasmic sperm injection in a clinical IVF program. De sign: A prospective clinical trial of intracytoplasmic sperm injection . Setting: A private office-based fertility program. Patients: Five co uples undergoing IVF-ET with intracytoplasmic sperm injection as a tre atment for male factor infertility. Interventions: Intracytoplasmic sp erm injection was performed at room temperature (23.5 to 24.5 degrees C) in a simple zwitterion-buffered medium. Main Outcome Measures: Fert ilization rates, cleavage rates, clinical pregnancy rates, implantatio n rates. Results: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was performed on 44 fresh oocytes from five patients. Twenty-three oocytes fertilized (52 .3%) and 22 zygotes cleaved (95.7%). Three of five patients became pre gnant (60%), resulting in the live birth of one normal male infant, on e continuing singleton pregnancy, and one continuing twin gestation (4 6XX, 46XY). The implantation rate was 23.5%. Conclusion: Intracytoplas mic sperm injection can be performed successfully in a simple medium a t room temperature using commercially available microtools.