Objective: To evaluate a new puncture needle with multiple holes (National Invention Patent of China: ZL 2010202466554) in testicular sperm extraction for infertile males.
Methods: This study included 215 azoospermia patients, who underwent testicular sperm extraction with a new puncture needle with multiple holes (group A, n = 133), by open biopsy (group B, n = 37), or with a fine needle (group C, n = 45).
Results: The first-time success rate was 100% in group A, 19% in B and 100% in C. The average operation time was obviously shorter in group A ([3 +/- 1] min) than in B ([15 +/- 3] min) and C ([7 +/- 2] min). The rate of postoperative complications was 3.0% in group A, significantly lower than in B (21.6%) and C (11.1%).
Conclusion: The new puncture needle with multiple holes, with its advantages of accuracy, high first-time success rate, minimal invasiveness and low rate of complications, deserves to be generally applied in testicular sperm extraction.