What Is TESA / PESA?
Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA) and Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA) are sperm retrieval procedures intended to directly extract sperm from either the epididymis (PESA) or testis (TESA) of the male partner.
What To Expect
TESA/PESA combine surgical sperm retrieval and egg retrieval. Both epididymal and testicular sperm extraction success rates are high.
Here is what you can expect when you undergo TESA or PESA:
A local or general anesthesia will be injected.
During a percutaneous epididymal sperm extraction, a small needle is inserted in the epididymis (PESA) to obtain sperm. During testicular sperm extraction, a fine needle is inserted in the testis to obtain testicular tissuefrom which sperms are produced.
Simultaneously, healthy eggs from the female partner will be collected.
Once sperm from the testicles or sperm from the epididymis have been retrieved, the eggs from the female partner will be fertilized using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a special form of in vitro fertilization. This procedure involves directly injecting the sperm into the egg.
Following fertilization, the embryo will be allowed to mature for several days. After that, the healthy embryos will be implanted into the female partner’s uterus.
Who Should Undergo TESA/PESA?
TESA/PESA are procedures that address the presence of azoospermia in the male partner. This condition is characterized by the lack of sperm in their ejaculate. It may be caused by several factors, including blockage (obstructive azoospermia), and other abnormalities such as the congenital absence of the vans deferens resulting at birth or injury that may affect transport of sperm. In some males, however, sperm production fails or, it could be present in very low amounts. As such, fertilization using natural means is unlikely.
