Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction (microTESE)

In general, the following healthcare providers make up your microTESE care team:

• Urologist.
• Anesthesiologist.
• Nurses.

A urologist usually performs microTESE in an operating room while you’re under general anesthesia. General anesthesia makes you temporarily fall asleep so you won’t feel pain or be aware of anything else in the operating room during the procedure.

Once you’re asleep, the urologist will:

• Use a surgical knife (scalpel) to make a single cut (incision) in the middle of your scrotum (the pouch of skin behind your penis that usually holds your testicles).
• Make a few tiny incisions in your testicle and remove a small amount of tissue (testicular biopsy).
• Remove a tissue sample from your other testicle, if necessary.
• Send your tissue samples to a lab.

A lab technologist will use a high-powered surgical microscope to look for sperm in the fine tubes of your tissue sample. If the technologist finds sperm, a provider can use it right away to fertilize your partner’s egg or they can freeze it in liquid nitrogen (cryopreservation) and use it later during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

MicroTESE usually takes less than two hours.

After collecting your tissue samples, a healthcare provider will use dissolvable stitches (sutures) to close your incisions. You’ll also stop receiving anesthesia. You’ll be conscious (awake) after a few minutes but likely feel groggy.

Providers will continue to monitor your health. Once you fully wake up, they’ll treat your pain.