The dream of almost every couple is to start a family, but in some cases, difficulties arise along the way that hinder this goal. Although there are many cases of problems related to women, often the greatest difficulty in reproduction lies with the man. Usually, it concerns the quantity of sperm that is ejaculated, often a number that is too low for his partner to become pregnant. But what can be done about this? Well, there are some treatments and procedures that can resolve this issue, such as testicular aspiration.

Of course, testicular aspiration is not the only procedure available to help a couple have children. It is always important to thoroughly investigate the causes before making any decisions, and, naturally, medical supervision is essential to ensure everything goes well.

Unlike some types of surgical interventions that can also be performed, testicular aspiration can help locate live sperm at the very origin of the male reproductive tract, which may solve the couple’s problem.

What Is Testicular Aspiration?

Testicular aspiration is one of the most commonly used procedures in cases of male infertility. It basically consists of the removal of sperm from the epididymis or even from the testicles using a needle. This method often helps because there are many cases of men who do not have live sperm in their ejaculate, known as azoospermia, but do have them at the beginning of their reproductive system.

When Should It Be Done?

Through some types of exams, a doctor may find that there are no sperm in a man’s ejaculate. This phenomenon is called azoospermia.

It is at this moment that the doctor may suggest that the man undergo testicular aspiration, which involves extracting sperm with a needle directly from his testicles or epididymis. The procedure uses a very fine needle with a syringe.

Even so, the patient is usually sedated before the procedure begins, although in some cases, only local anesthesia is needed to perform testicular aspiration.

Testicular Aspiration Techniques

There are differences in the types of anesthesia each patient may require for testicular aspiration because there are various ways to perform this procedure, each with a different level of complexity. The three types of testicular aspiration are:

  • PESA (Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration)
  • TESA (Percutaneous Testicular Sperm Aspiration)
  • TESE (Testicular Sperm Extraction by Biopsy)

We will discuss each of these procedures separately to provide more detailed explanations regarding their complexity and how invasive they can be for a man’s body.

PESA (Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration)

This is the least invasive and most straightforward testicular aspiration technique, as the fluid is collected from the epididymis without the need to open the scrotum. This procedure is usually performed on men who have had a vasectomy. Another advantage is that, being a simpler procedure, local anesthesia alone is typically sufficient to carry it out.

TESA (Percutaneous Testicular Sperm Aspiration)

TESA is the technique used by doctors if no live sperm are found in the epididymis. Generally, it is a procedure quite similar to the one mentioned above, except that it is done directly in the testicles, where sperm are produced.

TESE (Testicular Sperm Extraction by Biopsy)

TESE is a much more invasive and complex procedure than the other two, as it involves a minor surgery. In this type of testicular aspiration, an incision of about 2 centimeters is made in the skin of the scrotum to expose the epididymis. After that, fluid is aspirated directly from one of the epididymal tubules.

Testicular Biopsy

It is important not to confuse a testicular biopsy with testicular aspiration. In this case, the procedure is somewhat different, as a surgery is performed, removing a small part of the organ so that the sperm can be collected directly from the sample. Although they have the same goal, the procedures are performed in very different ways.

Contraindications

Generally speaking, there are very few contraindications for this procedure, mainly because it is simple and causes almost no harm to the man’s body, even the TESE, which is the most invasive type of testicular aspiration. The main contraindication is for men who have a serious testicular disease, as this procedure could worsen the individual’s clinical condition.

Having children and building a family is a dream for many people, but unfortunately, sometimes setbacks occur. But that does not necessarily mean that a couple cannot have children and fulfill their dream, especially nowadays, with all the advances in medicine, various treatments are now available to resolve reproductive issues in both women and men.

Testicular aspiration is one of these options, as it is an increasingly reliable and straightforward treatment for men. There is always an alternative to resolve this type of problem, and even if this treatment is not the solution, there are still other ways to fulfill a couple’s dream. What matters most is staying together and always working side by side to overcome any obstacles.

See Also: How to Increase Sperm Production?
Photo: User Jojo