The only physician in Austin with Specialty Fellowship training in Vasectomy Reversals and Reproductive Urology
Approximately 20% of cases of infertility are due solely to male factor, and an additional 30-40% of cases involve both male and female factor.
A man’s fertility can be affected by the following factors:
- Endocrine (hormonal)
- Chromosomal (genetic) disorders affecting sperm production and/or quality
- History of undescended testicle
- Varicocele (dilated veins around the testicle)
- History of infection of the testicle
- History of chemotherapy or radiation treatments
- Environmental toxins and occupational exposures
- Drugs/Medications/Tobacco
- Duct blockages
- Problems with ejaculation
- Unknown causes
Dr. Kavoussi is fellowship trained in the evaluation and medical and surgical treatment of male infertility, including microsurgical expertise in the field required for sperm harvest (microTESE) under certain circumstances.
Our goals in caring for infertile men include:
- Identifying and treating reversible conditions
- Identifying irreversible causes in which assisted reproductive techniques using the male partners’ sperm can be performed to achieve pregnancy
- Identifying irreversible conditions requiring the couple’s use of other treatment options such as donor insemination
- Identifying underlying medical problems associated with male infertility
- Identifying chromosomal disorders which may affect the man or his offspring
Dr. Kavoussi was involved in basic science research investigating new technologies on a cellular level to help improve the efficiency and success rates of sperm retrieval in an animal model to ultimately be applied to men without sperm in the semen to allow these couples to undergo IVF with the man’s sperm.
Varicocele
A varicocele is a dilation of the veins from the testicle. Forty percent of men presenting with infertility have a varicocele and this is the most common correctable cause of male infertility. The varicocele can be repaired through an approximately two inch incision made in the groin. This is performed as a day surgery and the patient may return to full activity in one week. Seventy percent of men with infertility, abnormal sperm counts or abnormal sperm function, and a varicocele will have improvement in sperm counts/function after varicocele repair. Dr. Kavoussi is fellowship trained in microscopic varicocele surgery.
Sperm Retrieval
It is known that 1% of all men will have no sperm in their semen and 10-15% of infertile men will have no sperm in their semen. In such cases or in cases when a man has a non-surgically correctable blockage not allowing the sperm to reach the semen, there are still options to retrieve sperm that can be used in combination with assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) to successfully achieve a pregnancy. There are multiple options for retrieving sperm including percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) where aspiration is performed from the epididymis (the structure connecting the testicle to the vas deferens), microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA), testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) aspirating sperm directly from the testicle, testicular sperm extraction (TESE), and microdissection testicular sperm extraction (microTESE).
MicroTESE is a specialized procedure used for men without sperm in the semen who do not have a blockage. Genetic testing is done prior to the procedure to give us an understanding of what the odds are of finding sperm at the time of sperm retrieval. A precise microsurgical technique is then used to look for possible pockets of sperm production throughout the testicle under the visualization of an operative microscope to find sperm that can be used in combination with IVF. The success rates of retrieving sperm using this procedure are highly dependent on the experience of the microsurgeon. Dr. Kavoussi is specialty fellowship trained in microsurgery to find such pockets of sperm production to allow these couples a chance to achieve a pregnancy with the man's sperm.
Videos
"Low Testosterone and Male Fertility" - 10/16/2012
"Mother's Day Fertility" - 05/13/2012
"Fitness & Fertility" - 05/01/2012
Obesity and Male Infertility - 03/27/2012
Male Infertility - 01/24/11
Laptops & Male Infertility
Testosterone & Male Infertility
Articles
- March 13, 2013
- Exercise and Conception
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Fitness is clearly important for men and women’s health, but what about fitness' impact on fertility? Testosterone is believed to be an important factor in a man’s fertility. Low testosterone (total testosterone level of less than 300 ng/dl by the endocrine society definition) is very prevalent in infertile men. Forty-five percent of men with no sperm in the semen, without a blockage in the system transporting sperm, have low testosterone and 43% of men with low sperm counts have low testosterone levels.
- September 1, 2010
- Having Klinefelter Syndrome
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Having Klinefelter Syndrome does not mean it is impossible to father children
A common concern for males with KS and their families is the ability to father children. Although subfertility is characteristic of KS and the majority of KS men do not have sperm in the ejaculate, there are exceptions as well as other techniques to help with fertility potential. Although small, firm testes are common among all KS men, up to 50% have normal testosterone concentrations. Men with the mosaic form of KS (having 46XY cells mixed with 47XXY cells) are occasionally fertile. KS men with low sperm counts in the semen may have the sperm used for assisted reproductive techniques (such as in vitro fertilization- IVF) by simply collecting the sperm through semen samples obtained by masturbation
There is no therapy to improve sperm production in KS, but sperm can be harvested surgically from the testicle, and success rates of harvesting sperm are as high as
- October 8, 2010
- Saint David's South
Family of Physicians Practicing at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, Helping Couples Achieve FertilityAUSTIN, TX—In August 2010, Parviz Kavoussi, M.D., joined St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, alongside his father, K.M. Kavoussi, M.D., and his brother, Shahryar Kavoussi, M.D. This family of physicians specializes in all aspects of fertility and reproductive medicine, focusing on both the female and male factors that can affect fertility in couples.
“Our patients really like having all of these services offered in one office because it ensures that everyone is on the same page, so to speak,” Dr. Parviz Kavoussi said. “Examining infertility from both sides is the more effective, and less expensive, approach.”
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