Azoospermia. Surgical prospectives.

For a long period of time, azoospermia has been considered a condition with poor therapeutical possibilities. Even in successful cases the number of pregnancies has been very low. With the new techniques in artificial insemination and fertilization there is new interest in treating azoospermic patients. A complete diagnostic procedure should be performed. The use of bilateral scrotal exploration and testicular biopsy allow better chances of diagnosis and treatment. More than 25% of azoospermic patients observed in an Andrological Centre could be surgically treated. Positive results were obtained in 80% of cases submitted to surgery.