DOUBLE OOCYTE ASPIRATION MAY BE A SOLUTION FOR EMPTY FOLLICLE SYNDROME - CASE-REPORT

Objective: To assess the possibility of salvaging the cycle ina case o f empty follicle syndrome by scheduling a second retrieval. Setting: M iami IVF/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Center, Alexandria, Egypt. I t is a private center. Patient(s): A 24-year-old female with a 6-year history of primary infertility. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was p erformed because of her partner's obstructive azoospermia. No oocytes could be retrieved despite normal ultrasonic and hormonal responses an d the presence of 25 mature follicles. Intervention(s): Serum hCG on t he day of the first retrieval. A second dose of hCG was given after th e first retrieval, and a second retrieval was scheduled 24 hours later . Main Outcome Measure(s): Number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization and cleavage rates, and pregnancy outcome. Result(s): Serum beta-hCG l evel on the day of the first retrieval was 300 IU/mL. Eleven oocytes w ere retrieved, (7 were metaphase II, 3 fertilized, and 2 cleaved) and two embryos were transferred. No pregnancy resulted. Conclusion(s): In a variant of empty follicle syndrome, the cycle could be salvaged by giving another dose of hCG and scheduling another retrieval 24 hours l ater. ((C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).