Testicular biopsies--histomorphologic patterns in male infertility.

ABSTRACT

The objective of the present study is to observe the spectrum of histopathological changes in the testicular biopsies of infertile men and to assess if a bilateral biopsy is required to reveal the pathology of infertility in every case or a unilateral biopsy would suffice. Thirty testicular biopsies (21 bilateral and 9 unilateral) were studied from 30 infertile men. The patterns of testicular damage seen in the present study were maturation arrest followed by hypospermatogenesis, Sertoli-cell only syndrome, tubular hyalinisation and one case was associated with normal histology. Comparing the histopathological findings in bilateral biopsies, it was seen that a unilateral biopsy would suffice to reveal the pathology in most instances and a bilateral biopsy is needed only when there is appreciable difference in the size of the testes.