Comparison of intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes in azoospermic men who underwent testicular sperm extraction vs. microdissection testicular sperm extraction: A cross-sectional study

Background: Outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be different in azoospermic men who undergo testicular sperm extraction (TESE) vs. microdissection-TESE (micro-TESE). Objective: This study was conducted to compare the ICSI outcomes in men who underwent TESE vs. micro-TESE due to obstructive azoospermia and nonobstructive azoospermia, respectively. Materials and Methods: A total of 310 azoospermic men who underwent ICSI from September 2016 to September 2020 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study and divided into two groups (172 cases in the TESE and 138 cases in the micro-TESE group). The paternal and maternal age, and the fertilization, biochemical pregnancy, abortion and live birth rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Maternal mean age was significantly higher in the TESE group (34.9 ± 4.2 yr vs. 32.3 ± 5.7 yr). The fertilization and biochemical pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the TESE group, but the abortion rate was similar in the two groups. The live birth rate was higher in the TESE group, but this difference was not significant (p = 0.06). Also, the maternal and paternal age did not affect ICSI outcomes. Conclusion: Individuals who underwent TESE had higher fertilization and biochemical pregnancy rates than those who underwent micro-TESE, but the live birth rate was not significantly different. Keywords: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, Azoospermia, Testicular sperm extraction, Microdissection testicular sperm extraction, Pregnancy outcome.