[Intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection of testicular sperm: clinical outcome in azoospermia patients].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) of testicular sperm improves the clinical outcome in patients with azoospermia. METHODS: We performed conventional intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for 66 patients diagnosed with azoospermia and IMSI for another 39 using testicular sperm selected at high magnification ( x 6000), and comparatively analyzed the clinical outcomes of the two techniques. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between conventional ICSI and IMSI in the rates of pregnancy (51.52% vs. 56.41%) and implantation (30.67% vs. 35.29%), although the rate of early abortion was lower in the IMSI than in the ICSI group (4.50% vs. 11.76%). CONCLUSION: IMSI of testicular sperm may effect a lower rate of early abortion than conventional ICSI in patients with azoospermia.