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First Study to Compare the Efficiency between two Techniques used to Retrieve Sperm in Men with Non-obstructive Azoosperia

First Study to Compare the Efficiency between two Techniques used to Retrieve Sperm in Men with Non-obstructive Azoosperia

Apr 6, 2018

The Danish news media for doctors, Dagens Medicin recently published an article about ReproUnion’s research project Surgical sperm retrieval in non-obstructive azoospermic men – a randomized trial. The study is led by Professor and ReproUnion Executive Board member, Dr. Jens Sønksen and Dr. Christian Fuglesang Jensen from Herlev and Gentofte Hospital. The study is performed at the Urological Research Unit at Herlev Hospital together with the Fertility Clinics at Rigshospitalet and Malmø. The surgical procedures are implemented with assistance from Professor Dana Ohl from the University of Michigan.

Herlev and Gentofte Hospital is the first in the world to perform a study comparing two techniques of collecting sperm cells in men that lack sperm cells in sperm fluid (azoospermia).

Since the end of the 1990s microdissection has been the preferred method to collect sperm cells over fine needle aspiration in most parts of the world. This despite the fact that there has never been performed a randomized study documenting that this method is more efficient. Cost wise there is a substantial difference between the two methods. In the US a microdissection is priced at around 500 USD (approximately 3000 DKK) while a fine needle aspiration is priced to around 8000 USD (approximately 48 000 DKK). The study’s assumption is that fine needle aspiration has a lower rate of success than microdissection since the surgeon cannot see the tissue he is working with.

The article in Dagens Medicin can be read here. Please note that this article is only available for paid subscribers of Dagens Medicin.

Click here to see a video description, where Ph.D.-student Christian Fuglesang Jensen describes the ReproUnion research project.