Active clinical trials for "Azoospermia"

Aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of highly purified human follicle-stimulating hormone treatment on the chance of retrieving testicular sperm (sperm retrieval rate) from infertile male patients with non-obstructive azoospermia of unknown origin.

In this prospective study, we used Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and next-generation sequencing technology to detect AZF microdeletion types accurately in selected genetic locus, and made correlation analysis with clinical treatment results.

The primary objective of this study is to explore feasibility of testis functionality assessment and testis imaging obtained from Positron Emissions Tomography (PET) /Magnetic Resonance Imagine (MRI). Using advanced MRI metrics, investigators will study the three-dimensional structure of normal testis, the levels of specific elements and compounds in the tissues (which can only be found via these imaging techniques), and the directionality (and alterations in directionality) of tissue structure. Investigators hope to develop hypothesis that will in turn suggest bio-markers to be explored in subsequent clinical trials.

To evaluate embryology outcomes after application of a technique known as round spermatid injection (ROSI) into donor oocytes in a high-volume clinical infertility practice.

Preliminary reports showed that hormonal treatment may improve the chance of retrieving viable testicular sperm from men with NOA. It was generally believed that gonadotrophin treatment would be ineffective in the presence of high plasma levels of endogenous gonadotrophin.The purpose of this study is to determine whether GnRHa(gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist) combined with hCG(human chorionic gonadotropin) and hMG(human menopausal gonadotropin) are effective in the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia.

The aim of the study is to assess if seminal TEX 101 can predict the restoration of spermatogenesis and appearance of sperms in the ejaculate after micro-surgical varicocelectomy among azoospermic patients.

Oligozoospermia, refers to a low concentration of sperm. A low sperm count or poor sperm quality is the cause of infertility in about 20% of couples with fertility problems, and a contributory factor in a further 25% of couples. In the majority of cases, no cause can be found. For mild male infertility, intra uterine insemination (IUI) is the procedure of choice with a pregnancy rate of 6.5%. In IUI, sperm is inserted using a thin, flexible catheter directly into a woman's uterus. Azoospermia affects 1% of the male population and 20% of male infertility situations. Over 50% of azoospermic cases are due to testicular failure, including absence or failed production as well as low production and maturation arrest during the process of spermatogenesis. ICSI allows successful fertilization even with immature sperm obtained directly from testicular tissue. This is done through TESA (Testicular sperm aspiration) or TESE (Testicular sperm extraction). In cases of TESE small strips of testicular tissue are extracted with the intention of finding few viable sperm cells to be used for IVF or ICSI. Men with non-obstructive azoospermia have 0 to 3 mature spermatids per seminiferous tubule in contrast to 17-35 mature spermatids in men with normal spermatogenesis. TESE success rates are approximately 50% but differ according to etiology. Unfortunately, there is no method of pointing out where sperm may be found. TESE is accompanied with pain, tissue loss, reduced success in future TESE due to tissue scaring and testosterone deficiency. The complex process of spermatogenesis includes maturation of young spermatids into spermatozoas, a process which takes approximately 74 days. During spermatogenesis, spermatogonial stem cells are transformed into spermatids and released from the seminiferous tubule epithelium into its lumen. Non-motile spermatozoa are transported through the seminifreous tubules to the epididymis by testicular fluid secreted from the Sertoli cells with the aid of peristaltic contraction. During transport through the epididymis, sperm cells develop the ability to progress forward, undergo capacitation and attach and penetrate the egg. The electric charge of the spermatic cell has been termed zeta potential (electrokinetic potential) and is defined as the electric potential in the slip plane between the sperm membrane and its surroundings. Mature sperm possess an electric charge of -16 to -20 mV. In the animal study conducted, positive electrical current with a low amplitude bellow sensation level was situated around the scrotum of four normospermic and one oligospermic male pigs. At the end of the research the concentration of spermatocytes in the epididymis obtained in surgery was found to be 200 to 1600 percent above the baseline. Our intention is to evaluate if positive electrical current with a low amplitude bellow sensation level situated on the scrotum will increase the concentration of spermatocytes in the ejaculate. If our hypothesis is confirmed this may become a method for treating male infertility. The period of improvement is still unclear.

Azoospermia due to low sperm production (non-obstructive azoospermia) affects approximately 1% of the male population and 10% of men who seek fertility evaluation. Testis biopsy reveals that these men have Sertoli cell-only pattern, maturation arrest, or hypospermatogenesis. Until recently, it was assumed that men with non-obstructive azoospermia were untreatable. Indeed, these patients were often referred to as being "sterile" or having "testicular failure." We start to use stem cell in treatment of such patients by injecting the stem cell at the testis and the testicular artery in one group and at the testis only in other group

This study will include cryopreserved sperm from infertile azoospermic men, with proven diagnosis of varicocele (clinical & sonographic), which will be used for ICSI in an ART program in Sohag. Patients personal and medical history and socio-demographic data will be retrieved from their saved medical files.

Azoospermia is complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate. It accounts for 10-15% of male infertility cases. It is classified as obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). NOA constitutes 60% of all cases of azoospermia. Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for intracytoplas¬mic sperm injection (ICSI) was first introduced for treatment of obstructive azoospermia in 1993. Soon afterwards testicular sperm were retrieved successfully and used in ICSI in cases of NOA. In the NOA cases, TESE combined with ICSI has been proven to be an acceptable line of treatment. Microdissection TESE may have some theoretical benefits over conventional TESE, but uncertainty exists about its superiority. During a conventional TESE procedure, the testis is exposed through a small incision and one or multiple biopsies are taken blindly. Micro TESE was first introduced in 1999. In this technique, the tunica albuginea is widely opened and examination of the testicular tissue is carried out at 20-25× magnification under an operating microscope allowing visualization of whitish, larger and more opaque tubuli. The concept of this technique is that these tubuli are more likely to contain active spermatogenesis. also no secure clinical predictors of (SR) are demonstrated for both procedures.The recovery of spermatozoa is successful in only 50% of cases and therefore the ability to predict those patients with a high probability of achieving a successful sperm retrieval would be of great value in counselling the patient and his partner . There is no single clinical finding or investigation that can accurately predict the outcome of TESE.An unsuccessful sperm recovery has important emotional and financial implications so objective counselling based on predictive factors may offer realistic expectations for both the couple and physician.