Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is the process of removing a small portion of tissue from the
testicle under local anesthesia and extracting the few viable
sperm cells present in that tissue for
intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The testicular sperm extraction process is recommended to men who cannot produce sperm by
ejaculation due to
azoospermia, such as that caused by primary testicular failure, congenital absence of the
vas deferens or non-reconstructed
vasectomy.