- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- 9.1 Definitions and classification of disorders
- 9.2 Normal male endocrinology
- 9.3 Evaluation of the male patient with suspected hypogonadism and/or infertility
- 9.4 Male endocrinological disorders and male factor infertility
- 9.4.1 Congenital anorchia, acquired anorchia, testicular maldescent, and varicocele
- 9.4.2 Disturbed spermatogenesis
- 9.4.3 Klinefelter’s syndrome
- 9.4.4 XX male
- 9.4.5 XYY male
- 9.4.6 Structural chromosome abnormalities
- 9.4.7 Sequelae of extratesticular disease
- 9.4.8 Testicular tumours
- 9.4.9 Infections/inflammation of the genital tract
- 9.4.10 Obstructions
- 9.4.11 Immunological infertility
- 9.4.12 Idiopathic infertility
- 9.4.13 Treatment of hypogonadism and infertility
- 9.4.14 Insemination, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- 9.4.15 Cryopreservation of sperm
- 9.4.16 Sexuality and erectile dysfunction
- 9.4.17 Gynaecomastia
- 9.4.18 Transsexualism
- 9.5 Exogenous factors and male reproductive health
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus
Cryopreservation of sperm
- Chapter:
- Cryopreservation of sperm
- Author(s):
A. Kamischke
and Eberhard Nieschlag
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199235292.003.9118
Malignant diseases in adolescence and younger adults such as testicular cancer, lymphomas and leukaemia have long-term survival rates of up to 80% if treated adequately. As a result, long-term quality of life, including reproductive health, has become increasingly important. The cryopreservation of sperm from oncological patients represents the most frequent indication for the procedure. Depending on the substance and dosages administered, chemo- and/or radiotherapy, as well as surgical intervention, can lead to persistent azoospermia independent of the patienńs pubertal status. Theoretically, hormonal gonadal protection and retransplantation of germ cell stem cells preserved prior to chemotherapy offer options to preserve fertility, but neither approach has yet proven to be of clinical benefit. Therefore at present, cryopreservation of sperm prior to oncological therapy offers the only possibility of circumventing the deleterious effects of disease and therapy on fertility, thereby contributing to the personal stabilization of the predominantly young patients in this critical situation.
Currently, men undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic testicular biopsies, performed to detect sperm possibly remaining in the testis for use in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (Chapter 9.4.14), may opt for cryopreservation. Until histological examination is complete, the remaining tissue remains frozen, for later use or subsequent thawing or disposal.
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- Part 1 Principles of international endocrine practice
- Part 2 Pituitary and hypothalamic diseases
- Part 3 The thyroid
- Part 4 Parathyroid, calcium, and bone metabolism
- Part 5 The adrenal gland and endocrine hypertension
- Part 6 Neuroendocrine tumours and genetic disorders
- Part 7 Growth and development during childhood
- Part 8 Female endocrinology and pregnancy
- Part 9 Male hypogonadism and infertility
- 9.1 Definitions and classification of disorders
- 9.2 Normal male endocrinology
- 9.3 Evaluation of the male patient with suspected hypogonadism and/or infertility
- 9.4 Male endocrinological disorders and male factor infertility
- 9.4.1 Congenital anorchia, acquired anorchia, testicular maldescent, and varicocele
- 9.4.2 Disturbed spermatogenesis
- 9.4.3 Klinefelter’s syndrome
- 9.4.4 XX male
- 9.4.5 XYY male
- 9.4.6 Structural chromosome abnormalities
- 9.4.7 Sequelae of extratesticular disease
- 9.4.8 Testicular tumours
- 9.4.9 Infections/inflammation of the genital tract
- 9.4.10 Obstructions
- 9.4.11 Immunological infertility
- 9.4.12 Idiopathic infertility
- 9.4.13 Treatment of hypogonadism and infertility
- 9.4.14 Insemination, in vitro fertilization, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- 9.4.15 Cryopreservation of sperm
- 9.4.16 Sexuality and erectile dysfunction
- 9.4.17 Gynaecomastia
- 9.4.18 Transsexualism
- 9.5 Exogenous factors and male reproductive health
- Part 10 Endocrinology of ageing and systemic disease
- Part 11 Endocrinology of cancer
- Part 12 Obesity, lipids, and metabolic disorders
- Part 13 Diabetes mellitus