Assisted ejaculation and in-vitro fertilization in the treatment of infertile spinal cord-injured men: the role of intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

The objective of the present longitudinal descriptive study was to extend previous observations on the benefit of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in cases of anejaculatory infertility due to spinal cord injuries (SCI) and to report results achieved by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The study was performed in a national referral unit for SCI, Spinalis SCI Research Unit, the Karolinska Institute. The patient material consisted of couples with SCI men seeking treatment for their infertility. The inclusion criteria were: stable relationship, motile spermatozoa in a diagnostic sample and no female contraindications. Spermatozoa were retrieved through electroejaculation or vibratory stimulation. If the sperm quality was judged to be sufficient, standard IVF was performed. ICSI was employed if the semen quality was extremely poor. We have treated 25 couples in 52 cycles, leading to 81 ovum retrievals and 47 embryo transfers. Total sperm counts were very variable (0.01-978 x 10(6)). Before the introduction of ICSI the fertilization rate was 30%. ICSI increased the fertilization rate to 88%. There was no association between the pregnancy rate and the sperm count, level of injury or fertilization technique. A total of 16 clinical pregnancies was established, leading to 11 deliveries. This gives a cumulative pregnancy rate per couple of 56%.