What is the best technique to recover sperm from obstructive azoospermic patients

• Grant number: 20/13499-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2021
• End date: October 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Renato Fraietta
• Grantee: Fernando de Nigris Vasconcellos
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Azoospermia, which is the condition in which there is an absence of sperm in the ejaculated fluid, in at least 2 samples, even after centrifugation, can be obstructive or non-obstructive. Obstructive azoospermia, which is the focus of this study, has vasectomy as its main cause.It is known that the demand for vasectomy in the world and in Brazil has grown a lot in recent years, since it is a contraceptive method recognized by the State, as a family planning strategy.When we are faced with a vasectomized patient - or with another cause of obstructive azoospermia - who expresses a desire for reproduction, there are some therapeutic proposals, two of which are well-established MESA and PESA.Currently, the medical literature lacks information with statistical relevance to safely assure the benefits and advantages of each of these procedures. In view of this situation, there is a need to carry out a systematic review with the information existing in the medical literature, in order to produce a meta-analysis of the data obtained, providing reliable and safe scientific evidence on the subject.In parallel, a retrospective cohort study between two centers specialized in human reproduction, from EPM-UNIFESP and the Huntington Clinic, which adopt different techniques, will be carried out, in order to corroborate with the data obtained.