Testicular biopsy in the study of azoospermia

Abstract

Aims: to evaluate the role of testicular biopsy in the study ofazoospermic patients.Patients and methods: a total of 67 infertile men with azoospermia werestudied over 5 years period (February 2005 – March 2009). Their meanage was 33 years. They underwent bilateral testicular biopsy undergeneral anaesthesia and the specimens were categorized according tohistopathological patterns.Results: the histological evaluation of the testes revealed normalspermatogenesis in 12 patients (17.9 %), hypospermatogenesis in 4 (5.9%), spermatogenic arrest in 39 (58.2 %), sertoli cell only in 7 (10.4 %) andcomplete tubular hyalinization in 5 patients (7.4 %).Conclusions: This study highlights the role of testicular biopsy as areliable and useful technique for the investigation of patients withazoospermia.