Home
print
glossary
send page
testicular biopsy
The testicular biopsy is a minor surgical procedure that involves the removal of a tiny piece of testicular tissue for examination under the microscope.
reason for the examination
If the ejaculate contains no sperm cells and there is no suggestion of an obstruction of the vas deferens or of retrograde ejaculation, then a biopsy of the testicles is useful to see if sperm cells are actually being produced in the testicles.
the examination
In a short surgical procedure under local anaesthetic, a small piece of testicular tissue is removed and examined under a microscope for the presence of sperm cells. The whole procedure usually takes between 15 to 20 minutes and can sometimes be performed in the doctor’s surgery. Apart from the injection of the local anaesthetic, the whole test should be painless. An alternative to a biopsy is a puncture. During a puncture, a piece of tissue is removed by a needle and assessed under the microscope. A puncture can also be performed on the epididymis, as is the case with PESA.
The testicles may feel painful for two or three days after the test and there may be some bruising. Sexual activity should be avoided for a week or two after the biopsy.
In some cases, the sperm obtained as a result of this biopsy are frozen for future use in fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
