Testicular Biopsy & Microscopic Epididymal Sperm Aspiration
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In some situations a sperm analysis reveals that there are no sperm at all in the ejaculate eg. where a man has had a previous vasectomy. Other conditions which cause this include infection, which has blocked the tubes leading from the testis to the base of the penis, congenital absence of the tubes, chromosome or genetic problems, and other conditions in which there is limited or no sperm production at all by the testis. Often, sperm are aspirated from the system of fine collecting tubules that carry the sperm from the testis to the base of the penis. For example, where a man has previously had a vasectomy (who does not want a vasectomy reversal) sperm can be found in the epididymis, in a procedure known as a Microscopic Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA). The doctor will look for spem at a few sites along the length of the epidiymis, until viable sperm are found by the scientist. In other situations, the surgeon may take a biopsy or a small piece of the testis itself, where the sperm are actually produced. |
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