Micro-TESE — Testicular Extraction of Sperm Cells

Testicular Extraction of Sperm Cells is a part of in vitro fertilization procedure, which allows retrieving sperm cells via microdissection. It is most often recommended to the patients with Azoospermia (no sperm in the semen), including that caused by severe male infertility conditions. When compared to the earlier invented TESE System, Micro-TESE has the advantage of allowing microsurgical exploration of the entire testicular parenchyma to maximize the chance of finding sperm while sperm retrieval rates have been registered as higher, amount of tissue removed is less (so is the testicular trauma), hormonal difference in testosterone is less.

The selective Micro-TESE biopsy procedure is performed under 25X microscope. The surgeon detects the most perspective areas of tissue, with the highest chances of retrieving mature sperm cells. There is always an embryologist present during the procedure to examine the tissue extracted simultaneously and report the results to the surgeon. Thus, while conventional TESE involves taking multiple random testicular biopsies due to the fact that the testicular removal there is not targeted and therefore unpredictable, Micro-TESE is more delicate on the patients. Micro-TESE is currently the most advanced way to retrieve sperm cells surgically and is being transferred to in cases of Azoospermia (OA) and particularly Non-Obstructive Azoospermia (NOA) by reproductive specialists over the world.


Julia Zaikova

Anesthesiologist