If the semen contains few or no sperm cells, sperm can often be retrieved surgically — from the epididymis or directly from testicular tissue. No waiting list in Istanbul, performed on the day of egg retrieval.
In some men, the semen contains no sperm cells (azoospermia). The cause can be twofold: sperm cells are produced but cannot leave the body (obstructive azoospermia), or production itself is severely disrupted (non-obstructive azoospermia). In both cases, sperm can often be retrieved surgically and used for ICSI.
Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration: sperm cells are retrieved from the epididymis through a microsurgical procedure, under general or spinal anaesthesia. Suitable for a blocked or absent vas deferens.
Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration: a less invasive variant, in which sperm cells are aspirated through the skin from the epididymis with a thin needle, under local anaesthesia.
Testicular Sperm Extraction: (immature) sperm cells are retrieved from a small tissue biopsy of the testicle. Used for men with severely disrupted sperm production.
The most advanced variant: under an operating microscope, the urologist searches specifically for the seminiferous tubules where sperm production still occurs. This makes the chance of finding usable sperm considerably greater than with regular TESE — especially for men for whom earlier procedures found nothing.
MESA and PESA suit men with a blocked vas deferens — congenital, or caused by infection, injury, or a failed vasectomy reversal. TESE and Micro-TESE are intended for men with severely disrupted sperm production.
The procedure takes place on the day of your partner's egg retrieval and is directly combined with ICSI. The cost is €2,000. At Human First there is no waiting list, so you can start right away. We need your medical file for the assessment beforehand.
That depends on the cause. With obstructive azoospermia (MESA/PESA), the chance is very high. With disrupted production, Micro-TESE offers the best chance, since the urologist searches specifically under the microscope for active seminiferous tubules.
Most men experience a few days of tenderness. Since the procedure takes place at the start of your stay in Istanbul, you can recover calmly at the hotel.
Yes. If more usable sperm cells are found than needed, they can be frozen for a possible future attempt, so a new procedure isn't necessary.
Call us during phone consultation hours (Mon, Thu and Fri, 9:00–14:00) or send a WhatsApp message. We're happy to think along with you.