INCREASED RECOVERY OF VIABLE SPERMATOZOA THROUGH OSCILLATING CENTRIFUGATION

Objective: To compare the number and quality of spermatozoa recovered following the standard centrifugation method with those recovered foll owing oscillation of the relative centrifugal field during the centrif ugation method. Design: Prospectively controlled in vitro study. Setti ng: Private andrology laboratory. Patient(s): Seventeen healthy sperm donors. Intervention(s): Equal halves of the same semen sample were ev aluated following the standard centrifugation or following oscillation of the relative centrifugal field during centrifugation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Number of sperm, sperm motility, progressive sperm motili ty at 0 hours and after 3-hour of incubation at 5 degrees C in TES and Tris (buffer) (TEST)-yolk. Result(s): The number of sperm, sperm moti lity, progressive sperm motility at 0 hours and after 3-hour of incuba tion at 5 degrees C in TEST-yolk were significantly higher for the spe rm recovered following oscillating centrifugation compared with standa rd centrifugation. Conclusion(s): Oscillating the relative centrifugal field during centrifugation yields higher number of viable spermatozo a. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:712-14. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).