Effect of seasonal variation on the success of micro-dissection testicular sperm extraction: A pilot study

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between seasonal variation and the success of micro-dissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE). A total of 395 patients who were diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia, who had undergone mTESE operation for the first time, and who did not have an obstructive pathology, were included in the study. The patients were divided into 12 groups according to the month of the operation and four groups according to the season. The groups were compared with regard to age, duration of infertility, BMI, hormone profile and sperm retrieval rate of mTESE. The maximum sperm retrieval rate was obtained in January (69.7%) and the minimum sperm retrieval rate was obtained in November (50.0%). No statistically significant difference was detected when the mTESE results were compared with regard to months (p = 0.638). The maximum sperm retrieval rate was obtained in the summer (62.8%) and the minimum was obtained in spring (57.0%). No statistically significant difference was determined between groups created according to seasons (p = 0.865). We did not observe a statistically significant relationship between the sperm retrieval rate and the seasons. Studies conducted in regions with different climate features could better reveal the relationship between seasonal variation and the success of mTESE.