We compared pregnancy outcomes following intracytoplasmic sperm injection for the treatment of male infertility according to the type of azoospermia. First, we analyzed our data from 370 couples who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection using sperm from men with obstructive azoospermia and nonobstructive azoospermia, and the outcomes were compared to a group of 465 non-azoospermic infertil...

OBJECTIVE To determine the sensitivity and specificity of different ultrasound (US) modalities in predicting an obstructive vs a nonobstructive etiology of azoospermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 268 azoospermic men with available histopathologic slides were separated into obstructive (n = 104) and nonobstructive (n = 164) groups. Scrotal US studies, including color Doppler and transrec...

BACKGROUND The genetic basis of nonobstructive azoospermia is unknown in the majority of infertile men. METHODS We performed array comparative genomic hybridization testing in blood samples obtained from 15 patients with azoospermia, and we performed mutation screening by means of direct Sanger sequencing of the testis-expressed 11 gene (TEX11) open reading frame in blood and semen samples ob...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the improvement in semen quality and pregnancy rate after internal spermatic vein (ISV) embolization in men with nonobstructive azoospermia virtual azoospermia, or extremely severe oligoteratoasthenoazoospermia (OTA). METHODS A prospective cohort of 101 azoospermic or severe oligoteratoasthenospermic men of mean (+/-SD) age 34.1+/-7.7 years who underwent ISV between Sep...

PURPOSE We examined the relationship between L-PGDS (lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase) levels in seminal plasma and the presence or absence of obstruction in the male seminal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS Semen samples were collected and analyzed from 1) 10 patients with normal semen parameters, 2) 9 with obstructive azoospermia, 3) 20 after vasectomy and 4) 14 with nonobstructive azoos...

Received on: April 28, 2009 – Accepted on: Oct 15, 2009 aBstRact Azoospermia is defined as the absence of mature spermatozoa in semen analysis after centrifugation. The causes of azoospermia may be related to spermatogenesis defects and classified as nonobstructive azoospermia, or to the obstruction of the efferent ducts of the genital tract and classified as obstructive azoospermia. Before the...

Azoospermia is defined as the complete absence of spermatozoa upon examination of the semen [including capillary tube centrifugation (CTC), strictly confirmed by the absence of spermatozoa issued in urine after ejaculation]. The presence of rare spermatozoa (<500.000/ml) in seminal fluid after centrifugation is called "cryptozoospermia". The complete absence of spermatozoa should be confirmed w...

The aetiology of azoospermia can be grossly divided into obstructive and non-obstructive causes. Although in both cases testicular spermatozoa can be used to treat male fertility, it is not well established whether success rates following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are comparable. Therefore, a retrospective analysis of fertilization, pregnancy and embryo implantation rates was perf...

Seminal plasma is a promising biological fluid to use for noninvasive clinical diagnostics of male reproductive system disorders. To verify a list of prospective male infertility biomarkers, we developed a multiplex selected reaction monitoring assay and measured the relative abundance of 31 proteins in 30 seminal plasma samples from normal, nonobstructive azoospermia and post-vasectomy individ...

AIM To determine whether there was any regional variation in the prevalence of azoospermia, oligozoospermia and mean sperm counts in male partners of infertile couples from different parts of India. METHODS Data on 16,714 semen samples analyzed over the past five years from six different laboratories located in five cities of India were collated and evaluated. RESULTS There was a regional v...