The role of the laboratory in the handling of epididymal sperm for assisted reproductive technologies.

This report describes the historical experience of our laboratory in the handling and processing of epididymal sperm from men with congenital absence of the vas deferens. Three different methods of sperm preparation were used: swim-up or resuspension in the first group of patients treated, mini-Percoll in the second group, and mini-Percoll used in conjunction with pentoxifylline and 2' deoxyadenosine in the third group. Twenty-four percent of cases achieved fertilization in group I, whereas in groups II and III the rate was 59% and 57%, respectively. Fertilization rates in each group were 6.5% in group I, 16% in group II, and 35% in group III. Three pregnancies were obtained in group I, 13 in group II, and 2 in group III. Groups II (21%) and III (63%) were able to have excess embryos to cryopreserve.