Groundbreaking New Procedure for Azoospermic Men Involving Minimally Invasive Sperm Mapping Combined with Extended Sperm Search and Microfreeze Leads to First Pregnancy

Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health is Sole Medical Practice Worldwide to Offer Grid Needle Sperm Extraction and MicroSearch (GN-SEM) to find sperm in Azoospermic Men

NEW YORK, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health has announced the first pregnancy worldwide as a result of a new, minimally invasive procedure. Specifically, sperm are collected via Sperm Mapping, and then searched for and, if found, frozen or used fresh using Extended Sperm Search and Microfreeze (ESSM). They can then be injected into a partner's egg. The combined procedure, called Grid Needle Sperm Extraction and MicroSearch (GN-SEM), will allow some men with no sperm in the ejaculate (azoospermia) the ability to initiate a pregnancy without surgically opening up the testicle.

According to Michael Werner, M.D, FACS, Maze founder and medical director and a board-certified urologist, "Maze is the only medical practice in the U.S. to offer the Extended Sperm Search and Microfreeze lab procedure, originally developed in Israel, which finds sperm in ejaculate of 40% of men whose sperm are not found in a traditional semen analysis. With ESSM, these sperm can then be frozen in special dishes and thawed, with 90% of them surviving the freeze and thaw process. With men with cryptospermia (very very few sperm in the ejaculate) we have found and frozen sperm in almost 100% of men! ''

Maze first performed the ESSM technique in 2019. As of today, Maze has 30 babies born from sperm collected through ESSM, and 97 men whose sperm are stored.

"However, by combining these two procedures, we are now able to take advantage of the thoroughness of ESSM in finding sperm in the ejaculate to find sperm in needle aspirates of the testicle," Dr. Werner noted.

Maze's New GN-SEM Procedure Leads to Pregnancy

In this case, a 29-year-old male with azoospermia initially underwent the ESSM (extensive sperm search) at Maze; however, no sperm were found on ESSM alone.

Dr. Werner wanted to find sperm but wanted to avoid micro-TESE (microdissection testicular sperm extraction), an invasive and expensive procedure that involves opening the scrotum under anesthesia and removing multiple tissue samples to check if they contain sperm. According to Dr. Werner, "With micro-TESE, patients undergo a surgery with anesthesia and can experience significant postoperative discomfort, as well as risk damage to the testicle in terms of testosterone production."

So, he performed what is usually only a diagnostic procedure, called Sperm Mapping, which aspirates testicular tissue (hopefully, including sperm) methodically, using a grid. However, instead of placing these aspirates on slides, they were combined and using ESSM, the aspirates were immediately examined to look for sperm. Thus, Dr. Werner put together the Sperm Mapping to procure sperm combined with ESSM to look for them, and called the combination GN-SEM. This gives the possibility of finding and freezing usable sperm in one relatively non-invasive procedure.

In this case, the patient had 18 fine needle aspirates collected from each testicle via Sperm Mapping. Moving, and thus living, sperm were identified, and frozen. An IVF center subsequently performed two IVF cycles; the frozen sperm were then thawed and injected into the patient's partner's eggs; embryos were created, and the couple had an embryo transfer in September 2023. The patient's wife is now pregnant and due in June 2024.

"This procedure is significantly less invasive and expensive than the typical micro-TESE." Dr. Werner explained. "I am beyond excited about these results!"

According to the patient "George," "When I was diagnosed with azoospermia, I searched online for an option that was less invasive than the micro-TESE and discovered the ESSM procedure at Maze. Although disappointed after an unsuccessful ESSM, I was thrilled to hear that Maze offered another option?the GN-SEM, which combined Sperm Mapping with ESSM. This procedure was still much less invasive than the micro-TESE so we decided to give it a try. Dr. Werner explained the procedure in very clear terms, which made the experience less stressful. We are so grateful to the Maze team and are eagerly awaiting the birth of our baby in June!"

"I'm extremely proud of the fact that we have profoundly changed the way we treat azoospermic and cryptospermic men. With these incredibly groundbreaking techniques, there will be more pregnancies with dramatically less intervention. We are having men come in from all areas of the world for these procedures, many sent by their doctors! The impact ESSM and, when needed GN-SEM, will have on these couples trying to conceive will continue to be even more far reaching and life-changing," said Dr. Werner.

About Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health

Michael A. Werner, MD, a board-certified, fellowship trained urologist and microsurgeon, is the founder and Medical Director of Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health. Dr. Werner started his practice in 1994, adopting a team approach to meet patient's needs, which includes sexual educators/therapists, and expert clinicians. With offices in Westchester, NY, and New York City, Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health includes on-site lab, Maze Laboratories, Maze Men's Sexual & Reproductive Health, treating male infertility and men's sexual health, including low testosterone, and erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction, and Maze Women's Sexual Health, treating menopause and women's sexual health. Visit https://www.mazemenshealth.com .

Media Contact

Susan Bernard, Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health, 1 914-992-0033, [email protected], https://www.mazehealth.com/

Nina Dietrich, Nina Dietrich LLC, 1 2035337134, [email protected], Nina Dietrich LLC

SOURCE Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health