Physiological Consequences of Testicular Sperm Extraction

Testicular sperm extraction has gained traction as an action that helps to increase fertility odds in couples suffering from certain prohibitive medical conditions. Specifically, couples who have been unable to conceive as a result of physiological issues that the male partner suffers from will find that testicular sperm extraction is a good option for helping to improve the chances of conception without the use of donor sperm or other means.

Overview of Testicular Sperm Extraction

Testicular sperm extraction is typically a procedure that is used for men who, for one reason or another, cannot adequately deliver sperm to the eggs via normal ejaculation. Potential causes for this hindering issue include a prior vasectomy, cancer treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy, physiological malformations of the vas deferens or other parts of the penis, and more. In these cases, sperm may still be produced within the testes, but will have no proper means of reaching the eggs through typical ejaculatory measures.

Testicular sperm extraction involves a small biopsy of certain tissues from the testes. This requires first an examination of the testes to be sure that they are producing viable sperm. Next, the targeted area will be identified, and then a small piece of the testes tissue will be surgically excised; any viable sperm will be removed from it. The sperm will then typically be introduced to the egg via in vitro fertilization procedures.

Testicular sperm extraction is typically done in doctor's office under local anaesthesia. The area of the testes that is surgically removed is quite small. However, due to the sensitivity of the area and the potential for post operative consequences and damaging effects, there are a number of consequences to this procedure.

Heightened Sensitivity and Pain

First, patients going through with testicular sperm extraction are likely to experience heightened sensitivity and pain for several days or even weeks following the procedure. There will also likely be a bit of swelling. The result of these reactions is that walking and mobility may be somewhat limited. Patients may need to find different clothing in order to better accommodate themselves, and mobility will generally be reduced. Different sleeping positions and other measures will oftentimes also need to be adopted in order to properly deal with the results of the surgery.

Consequences for the Testes

Over the long term, most men will find that they return to general normalcy. However, there may be certain other consequences for the testes. It may be more difficult to extract further sperm, and the testes may be more prone to infection or periodic bleeding and other consequences as well. For these reasons, anyone undergoing testicular sperm extraction should pay careful attention to his testes for several months following the procedure.

Visit a doctor if you experience any pain or other reactions to the procedure, regardless of how long after the procedure itself those reactions may present themselves to you and cause you discomfort.

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