TESA or Testicular sperm aspiration is a procedure that involves the retrieval of sperm from the testicle of the male who undergoes the treatment. The Testicular sperm aspiration procedure is usually followed by ICSI or Intracytoplasmic sperm injection which makes the procedure of IVF easy and gives a significantly high rate of success in becoming a parent.
Who needs TESA:
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Males who suffer from obstructive azoospermia i.e., blockage in the sperm route causing a hindrance to the sperm from going into the ejaculate. Obstruction in the vasa deferentia stops the sperm from going out of the testis and thus the semen gets deprived of the sperm in it.
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Males with low/poor sperm count i.e., less number of sperms are being made in the testicles and the ejaculated semen consists of insufficient sperms which makes it a lot more difficult to fertilize the egg.
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Some males suffer from the absence of vas deferens which means that the sperm remains in the testis and never goes into the urethra. In such cases, testicular sperm aspiration can prove to be of great help in extracting the sperm trapped inside the testis which would otherwise have been wasted there. Thus, helping the male who wants to become a father.
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If the male has already undergone a vasectomy and wants to become a father, then testicular sperm aspiration can prove to be a boon in their dream of becoming a father. As the vas deferens have been cut off or blocked, sperm is directly retrieved from the testicles which ensure the likelihood of attaining parenthood.

What to do before the procedure:
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Ensure that you have not taken aspirins or any other medicine that results in thinning of the blood for at least 4-5 days before the operation.
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The area of the scrotum should be shaved before the procedure which will reduce the chances of catching an infection around the scrotum.
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Washing the scrotal region with antibacterial soaps will remove any bacteria residing there.
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Emotional support from the partner as well as the family will provide the male to get through the procedure easily and it will also boost their morale. An experienced doctor will always guide you about the procedure before the operation and will support you throughout the treatment as well.
TESA Post-operative care:
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Eat light food and avoid eating heavy foods for a day or two after the surgery.
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The doctor will prescribe some medicines for post-operative mild pain.
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Avoid taking any aspirins or blood-thinning medicines for a week or two after the surgery.
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The mild pain is more commonly relieved after 3-4 days.
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Exercises and other activities that require heavy physical work should be avoided for about a week after the surgery.
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Mild discomfort during the first few days can be seen in most patients.
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If the scrotum appears like it is swelling, you can use ice packs for 10-15 minutes around that region in order to control the swelling. Consider talking to the doctor if the swelling further continues.
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Bathing may be resumed after two to three days of the surgery and proper dressing of the scrotum after a bath should be done. Use of gauze pads on the site will keep the dressing clean and dry which will help in protecting the incised area.
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Sexual activity can be continued after two weeks post surgery or when you feel like you are comfortable. Do consult the doctor before resuming the sexual activities.
Procedure of Testicular sperm aspiration:
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The procedure of TESA is performed under local anesthesia under the guidance of trained professionals and experienced doctors.
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A fine needle is inserted into the testis so that fluid and tissue aspiration can be done.
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The sperm cells inside the testis are not mature so Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is generally done after the sperm aspiration from the testis has taken place.
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The procedure of testicular sperm aspiration takes about 20-30 minutes to be completed.
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The male who has undergone TESA can be discharged the same day of the operation.
Advantages of Testicular sperm aspiration:
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Good quality sperms can be retrieved from the testicles by the procedure of TESA.
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Tesa treatment is minimally invasive, so the loss of blood is close to nil which makes the procedure much of an interest among people who do not seek to get their body incised or are afraid of major operations.
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The healthy sperms are preserved by sperm cryopreservation so that they can further be used in the intracytoplasmic sperm injection technique. The sample can be preserved for longer durations by cryopreservation.
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It is very useful for males who want to be a father but are not able to achieve their dream which might be due to the reason of not having sperm inside of their semen or if the sperm path might be blocked or if the vasa differentia is missing or has been cut.
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Recovery time is very short, and daily activities can be resumed just after a few days of the surgery.