Results of 68 testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) cycles for ICSI in obstructive and in non-obstructive azoospermia

ICSI has revolutioned the treatment of male infertility, from 1992 (1) it's possible to achieve high fertilization rates and pregnancy rates,regardeless of ejaculated sperm parameters. Subsequentely, also azoospermic patients could hope for parenthood; in fact ICSI was applied with spermatozoa surgically retrieved from the epipidymis and from the testis (2-3-4). Epidydimal and testicular spermatozoa microinjection showed fertilization rates and pregnancy rates lower tl lan the rates obtained with freshly ejaculated spermatozoa (5). The aetiolgy of azoospermia can be divided into obstructive and non-obstructive categories. Obstructive azoospermia is characterized by normal sperm production:it's often determined by Congenital Bilateral Absence of the Vas Deferens (CBAVD) and it's correlated with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). In non-obstructive azoospermia, there are variying degree of spermatogenic failure and it's often associated with chromosomal abnormalities. The debate about ICSI safety for children born from it, still goes on.