Fresh versus cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa in men with nonobstructive azoospermia undergoing ICSI

Objective: To compare the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia.
Design: single center clinical trial
Materials and methods: Forty seven men with nonobstructive azoospermia in whom testicular sperm was found after testicular sperm extraction were enrolled (25 cases using fresh biopsy and 22 using frozen –thawed biopsy).
Main outcome measure(s): fertilization rate; mean number of embryos transferred per cycle, embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy
Result(s): There was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding their background characteristics. There was an improved pregnancy rate with fresh versus cryopreserved testicular (P=0.053). No significant difference regarding other parameters was found.
Conclusion:In men with non obstructive azoospermia, fresh sperm extraction may yield better results than frozen biopsy.