Male infertility treatments
TESA, PESA
PESA (percutaneous epidydimal sperm aspiration) and
TESA (testicular sperm aspiration) are procedures that are performed to
obtain sperm in certain cases of male infertility. PESA or TESA can be
performed on men that have zero sperm counts due to either a sperm
production problem or a blockage in their reproductive tract, such as
the result of a vasectomy, congenital absence of vas deferens, or
infection.
Once a diagnosis of azoospermia (zero sperm count) has been made, we
work closely with the urologist with specialized training in male
infertility who will retrieve the sperm. The urologist will first
perform an exam and further testing which may involve blood work and/or
a testicular biopsy. The results of these studies determine which
procedure is more appropriate and more likely to yield sperm.
TESA may be done the day prior to the egg retrieval to allow in vitro maturation of immature sperm. With PESA, a small needle is placed into the epidydimis, which is a reservoir of sperm that sits atop each testicle, using local anaesthesia. During TESA, sperm is obtained by means of a biopsy of the testicle. The sperm obtained from these procedures is then injected directly into the eggs (ICSI).