Fertility outcomes and predictors for successful sperm retrieval and pregnancy in 327 azoospermic men with a history of cryptorchidism who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction

• Published in: Andrology (Oxford) 2021-01, Vol.9 (1), p.253-259
• Main Authors: Çayan, Selahittin, Orhan, İrfan, Altay, Barış, Aşcı, Ramazan, Akbay, Erdem, Ayas, Bülent, Yaman, Önder
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Birth rate; Cryptorchidism; Fertility; orchidopexy; predictors; Pregnancy; Sperm; sperm retrieval; Testosterone
• ISSN: 2047-2919; 2047-2927
• DOI: 10.1111/andr.12910

Background Although few studies have reported fertility outcomes, no study has reported risk factors that might predict sperm retrieval and pregnancy in azoospermic men with a history of cryptorchidism in a large series. Objectives To investigate fertility outcomes and predictors for successful sperm retrieval and pregnancy in azoospermic men with a history of cryptorchidism who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE). Materials and methods This retrospective observational study included 327 azoospermic men with a history of cryptorchidism who underwent mTESE. Fertility outcomes including sperm retrieval, fertilization rate, number of transferred embryos, pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rates were recorded. Results Sperm retrieval was observed in 172 (52.6%) of the patients. The mean fertilization, pregnancy, and live birth rates were 55.2%±20.5, 53.5%, and 44.8%, respectively. The sperm retrieval rate was significantly higher at the orchidopexy age of ≤ 9.5 years (70.8%) than the orchidopexy age of > 9.5 years (42.1%) (P = .000). Patients with total testicular volume of ≥ 13.75 mL had significantly higher sperm retrieval rate (65.2%) than the patients with total testicular volume of  300.5 ng/dL and FSH level of ≤ 17.25 mIU/mL have higher success rate for sperm retrieval.