FROZEN-THAWED EPIDIDYMAL SPERM IS EFFECTIVE FOR INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UROLOGIST

Objective To evaluate the pregnancy potential of frozen-thawed surgica lly retrieved epididymal sperm when used with intracytoplasmic sperm i njection (ICSI),Patients and methods From August 1994 to January 1997, 20 thawed samples of sperm from 19 patients, surgically retrieved and frozen after percutaneous or open epididymal aspiration, were used fo r ICSI. The results were compared with those obtained using fresh sper m obtained at the same procedure. Results Of the specimens of surgical ly retrieved sperm which had been frozen, stored and thawed, 15 had su fficient motile sperm for use with ICSI, The fertilization, cleavage a nd pregnancy rates in those cycles were similar to the same couples' p revious cycle using fresh sperm from the same collection and to the ov erall results in the NURTURE ICSI programme obtained with fresh epidid ymal sperm. Conclusion Scrotal exploration for diagnostic testicular b iopsy and/or reconstructive surgery without having access to sperm-fre ezing and storage facilities could represent a lost opportunity for th e patient.