Large-needle percutaneous aspiration biopsy of the testicle in men with nonobstructive azoospermia

Two hundred thirteen testicular specimens of men with nonobstructive azoospermia were obtained by large-needle percutaneous aspiration biopsy. The mean values of the number of seminiferous tubules per histologic section, dimension, weight, and the fraction of biopsies with spermatogenetic cells (53, 0.2 x 0.3 x 0.62 cm, 385 mg, and 63%, respectively) were similar to those obtained by open or other surgical biopsy techniques that were used for assisted fertilization in the same type of patients.