The freezing and storage of Testicular Biopsies
Via the surgical removal of testicular tissue (see
testicular biopsy), sperm cells can be retrieved before they are fully mature (i.e. before they arrive in the epididymis). See
sperm production for further information.
A testicular biopsy can be taken for diagnostic purposes (see
examination of tissue for men), but can also be specifically performed in order to collect and store sperm cells or sperm producing cells (see
anatomy).
Both for the banking of sperm cells and testicular tissue, a consent form must be completed and signed (see
contracts).
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Testicular tissue is stored in the sperm bank |
The storage of testicular tissue is useful for four groups of men:
Adult men
- adult men with azospermia (absence of sperm cells in the ejaculat), who have a TESE procedure to retrieve sperm for fertility treatment with ICSI. If more sperm than required are retrieved, the excess sperms can be frozen for possible later use;
- adult men who have a reversal of vasectomy and wish to have testicular tissue frozen and stored, because vasectomy reversal is not always successful;
- adult men in whom the ejaculate contains no sperm cells can be found and who are going to have to have cancer treatment in the near future. The cancer itself can lead to a reduction in sperm production, resulting in azospermia. Sperm cells can sometimes be found via TESE, in the testicular tissue and be stored before the start of the cancer treatment. Testicles must sometimes be removed for testicular cancer.
Pre-pubescent boys
Specific information for boys and their parents can be found in the additional information section under contracts. |
Young boys who have to undergo cancer treatment before puberty, form a separate group. They don't yet produce sperm (see sperm production). If they have potentially sterilizing cancer treatment or a blood disorder, then their future fertility can be preserved via the collection and storage of sperm stem cells from the testicles, in the form of tissue biopsies. These are the cells in which sperm will later be produced.
This procedure is however still in an experimental phase and offers no certainty of later fertility. It is only performed under certain circumstances and is decided upon together with the cancer specialist, the paediatrician and the child's parents.
Also in this case, a
consent form will need to be completed.
Care providers who wish to refer a patient to the CRG or have tissue stored in the CRG, can find further information under
for clinicians | intern.
Finally, click on
testicular stem cells if you would like more information regarding the projects currently running in the CRG.