Use of new automated biopsy device for percutaneous testicular biopsy. A preliminary clinical experience

Testicular biopsy is indicated in the azoospermic patients to determine if the cause of azoospermia is ductal obstruction or testicular pathology and in certain patients who have severe oligozoospermia. The technique traditionally used is an open testicular biopsy. New Automated Biopsy Device has been used successfully for renal diseases. This instrument is now used by the urologist for transrectal prostate biopsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether percutaneous testicular needle biopsy with new automated device can replace open testis biopsy or not. 90 testes of 48 patients between 22 and 43 years olf underwent percutaneous testicular biopsy with a new 18-gauge automated biopsy device. Adequate samples were recovered from 90% cases (average 24.77 tubule sections per testis). When needle biopsy and open biopsy samples were compared in 30 testes of 15 patients, complete agreement was obtained in 93%, whereas slight differences in 7%. These results show that percutaneous needle biopsy with new automated systems is cost-effective, quick, safe, repeatable, relatively painless and effective way to obtain largest possible cores through full cut technique. No serious complications were encountered during or after the procedure. The diagnosis were found to be comparable to those obtained by open biopsy. For these reasons, it is concluded that this new technique can replace the open biopsy.