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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

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Vessel-Sparing Microsurgical Longitudinal Intussusception Vasoepididymostomy to Treat Epididymal Obstructive Azoospermia
Published on: May 27, 2022
Necrospermia, antisperm antibodies, and vasectomy
Alejandro Chavez-Badiola1, Andrew John Drakeley, Victoria Finney
1Hewitt Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom. alejandro_bad@yahoo.it
Fertility and Sterility
|July 7, 2007
Summary
Necrospermia and antisperm antibodies after vasectomy reversal can be overcome. Testicular sperm retrieval successfully obtained motile sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Andrology
- Infertility Research
Background:
- Vasectomy reversal can lead to secondary infertility, characterized by necrospermia and antisperm antibodies.
- Antisperm antibodies can significantly impair sperm motility and fertilization potential.
Observation:
- A 36-year-old man presented with secondary infertility post-vasectomy reversal, exhibiting necrospermia and antisperm antibodies.
- Testicular sperm retrieval was performed to obtain viable sperm for assisted reproductive technologies.
Findings:
- Motile sperm were successfully retrieved from testicular biopsies.
- These retrieved motile sperm were utilized in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- The ICSI cycle resulted in successful oocyte fertilization, demonstrating the viability of the retrieved sperm.
Implications:
- Testicular sperm retrieval may bypass the adverse effects of seminal plasma antibodies on sperm.
- This approach offers a potential solution for male infertility cases with severe sperm quality issues post-vasectomy reversal.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand the interplay between antisperm antibodies and sperm retrieval techniques.
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