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Human Reproduction, Vol. 16, No. 10, 2154-2159, October 2001
© 2001 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Percutaneous cutting needle biopsies for histopathological assessment and sperm retrieval in men with azoospermia

Björn Rosenlund1,4, Ulrik Kvist2, Leif Plöen2,3, Urban Ekström2 and Outi Hovatta1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Huddinge University Hospital, Andrology Centre, Department of Woman and Child Health, 2 Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm and 3 Department of Anatomy and Histology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

BACKGROUND: Twenty-three men (45 testes) with azoospermia underwent percutaneous testicular biopsy under local anaesthesia. METHODS: In all but one of the 45 testes two biopsies were taken close to each other, one with a 16 gauge (n = 44) and another with a 14 gauge (n = 45) cutting needle, both with a 19 mm notch. Three quarters of the tissue was used for histopathological assessment and one quarter for direct microscopy. RESULTS: The histopathological findings were similar between the two needles. The observations with direct microscopy corresponded with the histopathological assessments concerning the presence of mature spermatids in 41 of 45 (91%) biopsies using the 14 gauge and in 40 of 44 (91%) biopsies using the 16 gauge needle. There were no post-operative complications except for minimal pain and minor local swelling. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous material retrieved using 16 gauge and 14 gauge needles is sufficient for histopathological assessment, and the two needles are equally reliable for testicular sperm retrieval. However, needle biopsy with one puncture may not be representative of the entire testis.

Key words: azoospermia/histopathological diagnosis/percutaneous needle biopsy/spermatogenesis

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bjorn.rosenlund{at}obgyn.hs.sll.se


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