OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of sperm defect severity and the type of azoospermia on the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS This study included 313 ICSI cycles that were divided into two major groups according to the source of spermatozoa used for ICSI: 1) Ejaculated (group 1; n = 220) and 2) Testicular/Epididymal (group 2; n = 93). Group 1 was subd...

The aim was to determine whether proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of metabolites such as glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), choline, citrate and lactate in human seminal plasma can be used to differentiate (i) different azoospermic patients and (ii) different forms of spermatogenic failure including those who had undergone radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Semen samples were provid...

BACKGROUND This was a retrospective study to determine if diagnostic testicular biopsy followed by cryopreservation should be the procedure of choice for all patients with testicular failure. METHODS The first part of the study analysed 97 ICSI cycles scheduled with frozen-thawed testicular sperm for 69 non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients. The second part focused on a subgroup of 32 pa...

BACKGROUND Accurate determination of mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is critical for genetic counselling and treatment of obstructive azoospermia. Of concern is that detection rates with routine CFTR mutation panels vary widely depending on patient ancestry; and such panels have limited value for azoospermic patients, who are more likely to carry...

Background: Androgens are critical steroid hormones in progression of spermatogenesis process and determine the male phenotype that their actions are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. In the Androgen receptor, transactivation domain encoded by exon 1, DNA binding domain encoded by exons 2 and 3, hinge region encoded by part of exon 4, and C-te...

OBJECTIVE To report the type and frequency of chromosomal anomalies and Y-microdeletions among Hong Kong Chinese subfertile men with sperm concentrations lower than 5 million/mL. DESIGN. Retrospective study. SETTING A reproductive centre in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS A total of 295 Chinese subfertile men who underwent both karyotyping and Y-microdeletion studies from 2000 to 2007 were categori...

INTRODUCTION Iatrogenic damage to the seminal tract is one of the causes of obstructive azoospermia, which can be an indication for reconstruction surgery. We present a case of obstructive azoospermia as an unusual complication after neonatal herniorrhaphy of an omphalocele. CASE PRESENTATION A 30-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with obstructive azoospermia. He had undergone herniorrhaphy...

Background: Male infertility is a common problem and needs a minimally invasive method to arrive at the appropriate diagnosis. Alternative to open testicular biopsy the fine needle aspiration cytology of the testis is being increasingly used as a minimally invasive method of evaluating testicular function. Aim of the study: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in...

Background Infertility is the inability of a couple to conceive after one and a half years of unprotected sex. Male infertility, which accounts for almost half of infertility cases, is considered as a major problem all over the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of CYP1A1 polymorphisms with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia in a South Indian cohort. MATERIALS...