Genk Institute for Fertility Technology, Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg, Belgium.
Andrologia. 2011 Dec;43(6):392-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2010.01070.x. Epub 2011 Aug 16.
Preservation of spermatozoa is an important aspect of assisted reproductive medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and use of a recently developed liquid nitrogen and cryogen-free controlled rate freezer and this compared with the classical liquid nitrogen vapour freezing method for the cryopreservation of human spermatozoa. Ten patients entering the IVF programme donated semen samples for the study. Samples were analysed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. No significant difference in total sperm motility after freeze-thawing between the new technique and classical technique was demonstrated. The advantage of the new freezing technique is that it uses no liquid nitrogen during the freezing process, hence being safer to use and clean room compatible. Investment costs are higher for the apparatus but running costs are only 1% in comparison with classical liquid nitrogen freezing. In conclusion, post-thaw motility of samples frozen with the classical liquid nitrogen vapour technique was comparable with samples frozen with the new nitrogen-free freezing technique. This latter technique can thus be a very useful asset to the sperm cryopreservation laboratory.
精子保存是辅助生殖医学的一个重要方面。本研究旨在探讨一种新开发的液氮和无冷冻剂控速冷冻器的功效和用途，并将其与经典的液氮蒸气冷冻方法进行比较，用于人类精子的冷冻保存。10 名进入 IVF 计划的患者捐献了精液样本进行研究。样本根据世界卫生组织的指南进行分析。新方法和经典方法在冻融后总精子活力方面没有显著差异。新技术的优点是在冷冻过程中不使用液氮，因此使用更安全，且与洁净室兼容。该设备的投资成本较高，但运行成本仅为传统液氮冷冻的 1%。总之，用经典的液氮蒸气技术冷冻的样本解冻后的活力与用新的无氮冷冻技术冷冻的样本相似。因此，后一种技术可以成为精子冷冻保存实验室的非常有用的资产。
