Objective: To determine whether the injection of testicular spermatozoa results in more viable embryos (higher implantation rate) than injection of epididymal spermatozoa in cases of obstructive azoospermia.
Design: Retrospective analysis of 265 cases of testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) and percutaneous sperm aspiration (PESA), including 185 cases of obstructive azoospermia.
Setting: Private Infertility clinic.
Patient(s): None, charts review.
Intervention(s): None, charts review.
Main outcome measure(s): Clinical pregnancy rate (PR), implantation rate.
Result(s): Although fertilization rates were higher in the PESA group, implantation rates were significantly better in the TESA group. There was also a trend to higher ongoing PR and lower miscarriage rates in TESA cases.
Conclusion(s): In cases of obstructive azoospermia, embryos generated using testicular spermatozoa have higher developmental potential than those obtained using epididymal spermatozoa.