Received April 30, 1998
Accepted October 17, 1998

Introduction:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, complications and efficacy in obtaining testicular spermatozoa from men with obstructive azoospermia by using percutaneous fine needle aspiration (TFNA) and compare fertilization and pregnancy rates. Material and Methods:Sixty-eight consecutive men who presented with azoospermia were included in the study, performing a total of 90TFNA. All procedure were performed in an outpatient basis, under local anesthesia in the spermic cord. A negative pressure device was utilized using a 21-gauge butterfly connected to a 20ml plastic syringe. Results:Spermatozoa was successfully obtained in 67cycles and spermatids in 14(13cycles with round spermatids, cycle with elongated spermatids).ln 9cycles sperm ce1ls were able to demonstrate that when ICSI was performed using immotile sperm (18 cycles), a fertilization rate of 64% was achieved with a pregnancy rate of 33.3% with 83% of them resulting in miscarriages.When motile sperm was injected for the ICSI procedure (49 cycles),a fertilization rate of 76%, was achieved, with a pregnancy rate of 47%. Miscarriages were 30% in this group.The use of round or elongated spermatids(14 cycles), resulted in a fertilization rate of 46%, a pregnancy rate of 14%, with 100% of them resulting in miscarriages. Conclusions:1.Testicular percutaneous fine needle aspiration under local anesthesia in an outpatient basis, has the advantage of being a simple, cost-effective procedure, allowing samples from different sites of the testicle.2.Pregnancy rates are similar when both motile and immotile spermatozoa are injected.3.Fertilization and pregnancy rates using spermatids were significantly lower when compared to the injection of mature sperm cells.