Artificial oocyte activation with calcium ionophore A23187 in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using surgically retrieved spermatozoa

Objective To evaluate the effect of artificial oocyte activation (AOA) on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles using surgically retrieved sperm. Design Laboratory study. Setting Fertility/assisted fertilization center. Patient(s) Couples undergoing surgical sperm retrieval for ICSI (n = 204). Intervention(s) Application of calcium ionophore A23187 for AOA. Main Outcome Measure(s) Cycles were divided into experimental groups according to the origin of the sperm used for injection and the type of azoospermia: [1] testicular sperm aspiration in nonobstructive-azoospermic patients (TESA-NOA group, n = 58), [2] TESA in obstructive-azoospermic patients (TESA-OA group, n = 48), [3] and percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration in obstructive-azoospermic patients (PESA-OA, n = 98). For each experimental group, cycles where AOA was applied (subgroup: activation) were compared with cycles in which AOA was not applied (subgroup: control). The fertilization, high-quality embryo, implantation, and pregnancy rates were compared among the subgroups. Result(s) For patients undergoing TESA, AOA did not improve ICSI outcomes for either type of azoospermia. However, for cases in which the injected sperm were retrieved from the epididymis, a statistically significantly increased rate of high-quality embryos was observed with AOA. Conclusion(s) Artificial oocyte activation may improve ICSI outcomes in azoospermic patients when epididymal, but not testicular spermatozoa, are injected.