[Ovarian cryopreservation: evaluation of two surgical procedures]
F Sergent1, F Istasse, A-L Coston
1Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, CHU de Grenoble, C.S. 10217, 38043 Grenoble cedex 9, France; Université Joseph-Fourier, B.P. 53, 38041 Grenoble cedex 9, France.
Objectives:
To evaluate various surgical techniques for partial oophorectomy cryopreservation. To evaluate the consequences of prior exposure to cytotoxic therapy on the quality of the ovary removed.
Patients And Methods:
Single center retrospective observational study over 4 years of women who had ovarian cryopreservation surgery for chemotherapy or radiotherapy which were at high risk of premature ovarian failure. Several techniques have been proposed: partial oophorectomy with clamping of the vascular gonadal pedicle (indirect tissue sample) without clamping (direct tissue sample) and partial oophorectomy with an automatic stapler. Ovarian tissue was immediately prepared for cryopreservation in the operating theatre. The whole sample was divided into small slices. For each ovary, a count of small slices was made. Additionally, one slice was examined to determine the presence of primordial follicles.
Results:
Ovary was successfully removed and cryopreserved in 13 patients. Two bleeding events occurred with the direct technique, without consequences for patients. The number of fragments obtained between indirect and direct techniques was respectively 19 vs 15, P=0.18; the number of primordial follicles was 38 vs 36, P=0.87. The automatic stapler consumed too much ovarian tissue to be interesting. There were fewer fragments, 15 vs 20, P<0.05 and primordial follicles, 35 vs 40, P=0.65, after a first cycle of chemotherapy.
Discussion And Conclusion:
The vascular clamping technique is safer but with no difference in the quality of the sample tissue. One cycle of chemotherapy has a pejorative impact on the quality of the sample tissue.
