Sperm harvesting and cryopreservation

Cryopreservation is the process of freezing tissue. In the case of sperm cryopreservation, a man"s semen is frozen for future use. A sperm cryobank is a facility that collects stores and freezes the sperm.

Should I Consider Sperm Banking?

Sperm banking is used in a variety of different situations. Most commonly, men bank sperm because they are about to undergo treatments or take medications which may affect their sperm production.

You may want to consider cryobanking if:

You are undergoing a treatment for cancer, which may impair your sperm production or quality (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation).
You will be taking any ongoing medications which may impair your sperm production or quality (e.g. sulfasalazine, methotrexate).
You will undergo any procedure which could affect your testis, prostate, or your ability to ejaculate (e.g. prostate resection, colon surgery or retroperitoneal lymph node dissection).
You have a medical condition which is beginning to affect your ability to ejaculate (e.g. multiple sclerosis, diabetes).
You are having a vasectomy.
You are entering a line of work where you may be introduced to reproductive toxins.
As part of your infertility treatment, you will be undergoing a procedure where sperm may be easily harvested (e.g. vas reconstruction, testicular biopsy). These sperm can then be stored and used later in conjunction with advanced reproductive techniques if alternative infertility treatments do not prove successful.

This list is by no means exhaustive and we encourage you to discuss the issue with your doctor.

PROCEDURE:

Prior to the collection of semen, sexual abstinence of at least 2 days but not more than 5 days is recommended to maximize the quality of the sample.

The specimen is collected into a sterile container by masturbation. Collection may occur at home provided that it does not take more than 1 hour to bring the sample to our facility. Otherwise, specimens may be collected at our facility where special rooms have been designated for that purpose.

Cryopreservation Technique and Identification

Each sample (ejaculate) is mixed with a special media or solution to help provide protection during freezing and thawing. The samples are then placed in special plastic vials, which are coded, and carefully frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor. Once frozen, the vials are immersed in liquid nitrogen in secure tanks at a temperature of -196° C (-371° F). The liquid nitrogen is independent of any source of power, and is regularly checked and replenished.
Each patient is assigned a unique «cryo code» and the sperm sample is processed individually using permanently marked vials by our licensed and certified clinical lab scientists.