Vol. 44 (1): 172-179, January – February, 2018

doi: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2016.0652

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Leocácio Venícius Sousa Barroso 1, Ricardo Reges 1, João Batista Gadelha Cerqueira 1, Eduardo P. Miranda 1, Rafael Jorge Alves de Alcantara 1, Francisco Vagnaldo F. Jamacaru 2, Manoel Odorico de Moraes 2, Maria Angelina da Silva Medeiros 2, Lúcio Flávio Gonzaga-Silva 1
1 Divisão de Urologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, CE, Brasil; 2 Departamento de Farmacologi, Universidade Federal do Ceará, CE, Brasil

ABSTRACT  

Purpose: To assess the impact of sperm retrieval on the gonadal function of rats with impaired spermatogenesis by comparing testicular sperm extraction (TESE) to aspira­tion (TESA). The efficacy of these procedures to sperm obtainment was also compared. Materials and Methods: A pilot study showed impaired spermatogenesis, but normal testosterone (T) production after a bilateral orchidopexy applied to 26 rats, which were randomly assigned into four groups: TESE (n=7), TESA (n=7), SHAM (n=6) and Control (n=6). The T levels were measured through comparative analysis after the orchidopexy. Results: There was no statistical difference in the animal’s baseline T levels after orchi­dopexy in comparison to the controls: the TESE and TESA groups, 6.66±4.67ng/mL; the SHAM group (orchidopexy only), 4.99±1.96ng/mL; and the Control, 4.75±1.45ng/ mL, p=0.27. Accordingly, no difference was found in the postoperative T levels: TESE, 5.35±4.65ng/mL; TESA, 3.96±0.80ng/mL; SHAM, 3.70±1.27ng/mL; p=0.4. The number of sperm cells found through TESE (41.0±7.0) was significantly larger than that found through TESA (21.3±8.1, p=0.001). Moreover, higher tissue weight was found through TESE (0.09±0.02g versus 0.04±0.04g, p=0.04).

Conclusions: The testicular sperm capture performed in rats through extraction or as­piration, after orchidopexy, did not significantly decrease the T levels. The amount of sperm found through testicular sperm extraction was higher than that through testicu­lar sperm aspiration.

Keywords:  Infertility; Hypogonadism; Testosterone

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