A pesa mesa tesa (also known as sperm extraction) is an infertility treatment in which a needle is used to extract sperm from either the epididymis or testicle. This is done to improve a man’s ability to reproduce by correcting conditions that inhibit ejaculation, such as blocked vas deferens or low sperm count. This is often done in men who are diagnosed with obstructive azoospermia or who have had a previous vasectomy.
MESA is a microsurgical procedure performed under high-powered microscope and requires expertise in operating room procedures. It results in higher sperm quality and excellent reported fertilization and pregnancy rates but has a significant learning curve, and may lead to complications such as hematoma due to blood vessel puncture and contamination of the sample with red blood cells.
Compared to MESA, TESA is easier to perform, does not require an operating room and results in similar fertilization and implantation rates after ICSI. However, TESA is prone to a higher incidence of hematoma and contamination due to the blunt, 22-G needle that penetrates the testis without suction for fluid aspiration. pesa mesa tesa