TESA (Testicular sperm aspiration)

A surgical method of retrieving sperm directly from the testicles; it is used in men with azoospermia or failure of sperm in the ejaculate. The procedure is performed under local or general anaesthesia and involves the removal of tissue from the testicles, which is then processed in the laboratory to isolate sperm. TESA is often used in IVF with the ICSI method, where the obtained sperm are directly injected into the egg, which increases the chance of fertilisation even in men with very low sperm production.