AZOOSPERMIA
Management Made Simple :
“Stepwise approach”
DR SHARDA JAIN
DR JYOTI AGARWAL
Azoospermia does not mean no child.
70 to 80% can father there own child
AZOOSPERMIA
• Complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate
• 1% of General population
• 10% of infertile males
• All gynaecologist should understand &
manage appropriately
AZOOSPERMIA MALE
PRELIMINARY MANAGEMENT
• Confirm diagnosis (Centrifuge sample)
• Counselling
• Evaluation
WHO
• Centrifuge 15 mt at speed 3000
• Examine the pellet
• Again repeat after gap of 6 to 12 weeks
AZOOSPERMIA CAUSES
• Pre – Testicular (Hypo – Hypo)
• Testicular Failure (NOA)
• Post – Testicular (Obstructive)
AZOOSPERMIA DIAGNOSIS – 3 STEP
PROCESS
• Detailed history
• Detailed examination
• Basic Investigations (FSH & T)
HISTORY
AZOOSPERMIA MALE EVALUATION
Detailed History
Undescended testis
Viral Orchitis
CBAVD
Operation – bilateral inguinal hermia
DRUGS IMPAIRING MALE INFERTILITY
Mechanism Examples
Gonadotoxins
(impair spermatogenesis)
• Sulfasalazine
• Methotrexate
• Cytotoxic Chemotherapy
• Colchicine
• Nitrofuradantin
Erectile dysfncton • Beta – blockers
• Thiazide diuretics
Ejaculaory failure • Alpha – blockers
• Anti depressants
Antiadrogenic • Spironolactone
• Cimetidine
Hypothalamic – pituitary
Suppression
• Testosteone
• Anabolic steroid
Drugs – Increase prolactin
GnRH analogues
Drugs of misuse • Cannabis
• Heroin
Cocaine
EXAMINATION
AZOOSPERMIC MALE –
STEP 2
DETAILED CLINICAL EXAMINATION
CLINICAL Examination
• General health
• Hair distribution
• Body proportion
• Voice
AZOOSPERMIA MALE –
STEP 2
DETAILED CLINICAL EXAMINATION
GENITAL EXAMINATION
Testis – size & consistency
epididymis – size
Vas present / absent
Other specific points
PRADER’S ORCHIDOMETER
ASSESSMENT
GENERAL INVESTIGATION
TESTIS EPIDIDYMIS
HYPOGONADOTROPIC
HYPOGONADISM
VARIABLE COLLAPSED
TESTICULAR SMALL & SOFT COLLAPSED
OBSTRUCTIVE NORMAL NORMAL
GENITAL EXAMINATION SPEAKS
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF AZOOSPERMIA
no sperm many spermfew sperm
Testicular Failure
Obstructive Azoospermia
Patchy spermatogenesis
INVESTIGATIONS
AZOOSPERMIA MALE –
STEP 3
BASIC INVESTIGATIONS
• FSH
• Testosterone
• Genetic Tests if required
ASSESSMENT
FSH Testosterone
Hypogonadotropic
Hypogonadism
Low Low
Testicular High Low / Normal
Obstructive Normal Normal
GENERAL INVESTIGATION
+
TESTESTERONE MEASUREMENT
• Early morning sample
• Fasting sample
ADDITIONAL TESTS
Need for
FRUCTOSE , TRUS ,
FNAC, TESTICULAR BIOPSY
Is usually not there
HYPOGONADOTROPIC
HYPOGONADISM
Pre- Gonadal – Hypothalamic Pituitary Disorders
HYPO HYPO CAUSES
CONGENITAL ACQUIRED
• KALLMANN SYNDROME
• IHH
• PITUITARY TUMOURS
• HYPOTHALAMIC TUMOURS
• DRUGS
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal
Axis Male
Hypo HypoAzoospermia Management
Medical Management
Gonadotropins (both LH & FSH)
• HCG injection till T Level normal ,
then
• add FSH for
Several months for spermatogenesis
NON – OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA
(TESTICULAR FAILURE)
TESTICULAR FAILURE
• FSH high
• Testes small in size
• Epididymis collapsed
Primary Gonadal Disorders
CONGENITAL ACQUIRED
Y-CHROMOSOME ABNORMALITY VIRAL ORCHITIS
EPIDIDYMO ORCHITIS
KLINEFELTER SYNDROME DRUGS / TOXINS
CRYOPTORCHIDISM RADIATION
TRAUMA / TORSION
SYSTEMIC ILLNESS
Risk of transmitting genetic / fertility problems from
the father to the male offspring
Chromosomal Abnormalities
Population Infertile men
Sex Chromosomal 0.23 2.24
Autosomal 0.57 1.14
All 0.80 3.65
VAN Assche at ., 1996
Klinefelters Syndrome (47XXY)
Y chromo-Micro Deletions
Y chromo- Micro Deletion
• Counselling is very important as 100% is
passed onto boys (not daughters)
• Prognostic Value of test
AZF c Sperm Can be recovered
AZF a or b – no Sperm
Oligosoermia ≤ 5 million/ml &
NOA of unknown cause
• Chromosomes
• Y deletions
Testicular Sperm Recovery
AZOOSPERMIA MANAGEMENT
• Keep it simple
• Diagnosis : by history , examination & basic tests
• Obstructive – PESA , if failed PESA then TESE / TESA
• Testicular failure – *Random biopsy TESE
*Micro TESE
Testicular Sperm Recovery -NOA
• Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA)
• Random Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE)
• Microdissection TESE
Testicular Failure – Histology
• Hypo spermatogenesis
eg Maturation arrest ( early /late )
• Sertoli cell – only syndrome
testicular Failure Sertoli cell – only syndrome
Levin 1979
Role of Diagnostic Biopsy
• Value debated (outside should not be done if
no embryologist + freezing facilities )
• Focal spermatogenesis is quite often seen.
• T .Biopsy can itself be Therapeutic
Testicular Bipsy pic
Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA)
• Very poor sperm recovery rates
• Multiple fine needle aspirates from testis
El-Haggar et al .,2006
• 19-guage needle better then 21-guage
Rosenlund et al ., 1998
TESA... BUTTERFLY CANNULA
Testicular sperm Extraction
Random Biopsy TESE
Multiple Biopsy under sedation
& local inguinal block
3-9 biopsy attempted to
locate focal spermatogenesis
Craft et al 1993
Testicular Sperm Extraction
Random Biopsy TESE
• Sperm recovery rate 20 – 60%
• Simple case procedure-- can be undertaken
in all centres
Deveroey et al ,1994
Random TESE complications
• Haematoma formation
• Infection
• Testicular atrophy
Deroyver et ai 2014
Random TESE advantages
• No learning curve
• No operating microscope needed
• Can be done at all centres
Uma Gordon (Bristol)
3 rd FERTICON 2019
Microdissection Testicular
Sperm Extraction (Micro TESE)
is the latest option for the
worst Azoospermia Scenerios
Microdissection TESE
• Sperm recovery rate improved from
• 43 to 63 %
• Sampling of selected regions
Schlegel 1999
Microdissection TESE
• Under operating microscope
• Learning curve involved
• Offered in specialist centre only
• Best for patchy spermatogenesis (Sartoli Cell
Only Syndrome)
Testicular Failure --gap for next
biopsy
• Random TESE to micro TESE
• Minimum 6 months gap
To allow for testicular tissue recovery
Generally earlier positive cases only come for
second request
OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA
OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA
• Normal FSH & T
• Testis normal size
• Epididymis full
PESA – PERCUTANEOUS
EPIDIDYMAL SPERM ASPIRATION
√
Percutancous Epidiymal sperm
aspiration (PESA)
• Very simple procedure
• Sedation & local anaesthesia – inguinal
& scrotal block
• Sperm can be recovered for 3-6 ICSI
cycles
Microsurgical epididymal Sperm
Aspiration (MESA)
• No place for MESA
• Open / invasive procedures , long operating
time in microsurgical procedure.
• Failed PESA – move to TESA/TESE
x
MESA (Microsurgical Epididymal
Sperm Aspiration)
CBAVD & Cystic Fibrosis screening
• CFTR gene mutation carrier
• Screen wife also
• If wife is carrier :
*Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
* Donor sperm / egg from screened donor
CBAVD Screening
• CFTR gene mutation – negative
• Screening for renal abnormalities
DEVELOPING TECHNIQUES
• Tissues perfusion mapping Herwig et al 2007
• Narrow Band imaging Enatsu et al 2015
• FFOCT (full field optical coherent tomography)
Ramasamy et al 2012
AZOOSPERMIA MANAGEMENT
• Keep it simple
• Diagnosis : by history , examination & basic tests
• Obstructive – PESA , if failed PESA then TESE / TESA
• Testicular failure – *Random biopsy TESE
*Micro TESE
Role of HORMONAL
supplementation
• Anti – androgen ,Aromitase inhibitors ,
gonadotropins
• Evidence not absolute.
• Improvement of testosterone level
Uma Gordon 2019
3rd Ferticon 2019
International conference cum workshop
Azoospermia Male
collaborative approach
• Reproductive specialists
• Urologists
• Clinical geneticists
QUESTION ??
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Karkari Morh Flyover,
Delhi - 51
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9599044257
011-22414049
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AZOOSPERMIA Management Made Simple : “Stepwise approach”