[Obstructive azoospermia in men who wish to father children; initial clinical results of intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) with surgically retrieved epididymal semen]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) with surgically retrieved epididymal semen. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive. METHODS: Patients with an obstructive azoospermia confirmed by cytological examination of a testis biopsy, and conforming to the regular IVF/ICSI criteria as laid down in 2001 at the University Medical Centre St Radboud Nijmegen, the Netherlands, were included for percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and ICSI. The main outcome measure was the ongoing pregnancy rate per initiated cycle. RESULTS: A total of 44 cycles were started in 31 couples. In 43 cases (98%) an ovum pick-up was performed and 41 (93%) embryo transfers were carried out. In 19 (43%) cases, treatment resulted in a positive pregnancy test and 15 (34%) ongoing pregnancies were recorded. In total, 17 healthy children were born (11 boys and 6 girls). CONCLUSION: ICSI with surgically retrieved semen was successfully used as a treatment for childlessness caused by obstructive azoospermia