AZOOSPERMIA

Course overview

AZOOSPERMIA IS THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF SPERMATOZOA IN THE EJACULATE. IT IS THE MOST SEVERE AND ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF MALE INFERTILITY. THE EXACT PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF AZOOSPERMIA IS NOT ALWAYS KNOWN. AZOOSPERMIA CAN BE DUE TO PRE-TESTICULAR, TESTICULAR, AND POST-TESTICULAR CAUSES. IT IS ALSO CLASSIFIED AS OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA (OA) OR NON-OBSTRUCTIVE AZOOSPERMIA (NOA). RECENT ADVANCES IN EVALUATING AND MANAGING PATIENTS WITH DECREASED OR ABSENT SPERM IN THE EJACULATE HAVE PROGRESSED SIGNIFICANTLY. IN ADDITION, THE MANAGEMENT OF AZOOSPERMIA HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY IMPROVED AS ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY OFFERS POTENTIALLY SUCCESSFUL TREATMENTS IN COUPLES HAVING MALE FACTOR INFERTILITY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MALES WITH AZOOSPERMIA.