This procedure is very similar to a MESA, but only a local anaesthetic is required. The surgeon uses a small needle to aspirate sperm directly from the epididymas, which, as in the MESA procedure is taken back to the RMU laboratory to be frozen and used at a later date or used immediately during an ICSI cycle.
Sperm
It is possible to freeze sperm prior to a treatment cycle, so as to ensure that there is sufficient sperm available at the time of your partners egg collection. Sperm can also be frozen …

1. Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration
In addition to retrieving sperm from the epididymis through open microsurgical techniques, percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) is also possible. The advantages to this technique are that it can be performed without surgical scrotal exploration, it can be repeated easily and at low cost, and it does not require an operating microscope or expertise in microsurgery. The procedure as described by Craft et al. has been performed under local or general anesthesia. After induction of anesthesia, the testis is stabilized and the epididymis is held between …

Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA): A needle is passed through the scrotal skin and into the epididymis in order to aspirate sperm. Because the epididymal tubule is very delicate and convoluted, the yield with a needle is typically small and usually only sufficient for a …