An observational study in Non Obstructive Azoospermia, Cryptozoospermia and Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, sponsored by Clinique Ovo. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to male participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-27.
Sponsored by Clinique Ovo · Observational
The goal of this retrospective observational study is to learn whether certain clinical characteristics can help predict which infertile men may successfully have sperm retrieved using a less-invasive "mini-incision" version of micro-TESE. The study focuses on men with very low or absent sperm counts (non-obstructive azoospermia, cryptozoospermia, or severe OAT).
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can sperm be successfully found using only a small, limited-dissection micro-TESE in some men?
Which clinical factors (such as hormone levels or medical history) help identify men who may benefit from this less-invasive approach?
Researchers will compare men who had successful sperm retrieval with the mini-incision alone to men who required a more extensive micro-TESE to see if certain characteristics predict which approach is likely to work.
This retrospective cohort study evaluates whether preoperative clinical characteristics can help identify infertile men who are likely to achieve successful sperm retrieval through a limited-dissection, mini-incision micro-TESE. The stepwise surgical approach begins with a small equatorial incision for targeted micro-biopsies and is expanded only when sperm are not initially identified.
The study includes men who underwent their first micro-TESE at a high-volume fertility center over a 10-year period. All procedures followed a standardized surgical protocol and were performed by a single experienced surgeon, ensuring uniformity in technique.
Clinical data routinely collected before surgery, such as hormone levels, semen parameters, testicular volume, and relevant medical history, were analyzed and compared between men who required only the mini-incision and those who proceeded to an extended dissection. By examining these differences, the study aims to determine whether certain patient characteristics can predict the success with the less-invasive approach.
The findings may help guide pre-surgical counseling and support more tailored surgical planning for men with severe male factor infertility
64 studies on the registry are indexed under Oligospermia; 17 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 248 is below the median of 300 across 17 observational studies indexed under Oligospermia.
Browse Oligospermia studies →Clinique Ovo is the lead sponsor of 36 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Men who underwent micro-TESE procedure from March 2015 to June 2025
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Exclusion Criteria:
Successful sperm retrieval rate defined as the presence of spermatozoa during limited dissection (mini-incision) micro-TESE
Time frame: At the time of limited dissection (mini-incision)
Serum FSH levels
Time frame: At baseline
Serum testosterone levels
Time frame: At baseline
Testicular volume
Time frame: At baseline
Genetic abnormalities rate
Time frame: At baseline
Procedure conversion from limited to extensive micro-TESE rate
Time frame: At the time of limited dissection (mini-incision)
Plan to share: No
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This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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