TESE / TESA / PESA

Testicular / Epididymal Sperm Aspiration or Extraction / Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration.

TESE or testicular sperm extraction is a surgical biopsy of the testis.

TESA or testicular sperm aspiration is performed by inserting a needle in the testis and aspirating fluid and tissue with negative pressure. The aspirated tissue is then processed in the embryology laboratory and the sperm cells extracted are used for ICSI.

PESA is a small needle is passed directly into the head of the epididymis through the scrotal skin and fluid is aspirated. The embryologist retrieves the sperm cells from the fluid and prepares them for ICS