IntelliWell: An AI-Assisted Imaging Platform for Detection and Location of Ultra-Rare Testicular Sperm in Surgical Specimens

Purpose

This study will help determine whether an AI-assisted microwell platform (IntelliWell) can identify rare sperm cells in testicular samples found to not have sperm by conventional analysis. Instead of discarding testicular tissue which was found to be non-sperm bearing by conventional analysis the testicular tissue will be processed using IntelliWell and, if sperm is found and verified by embryologists, it may be used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Conditions

  • Infertility
  • Azoospermia

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
Male
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  1. Male subjects presenting to Brigham and Women's or Faulkner urology clinic with infertility with clinical non-obstructive azoospermia (clinical diagnosis based on two semen analyses, physical examination, and hormonal testing). 2. Male subjects undergoing micro-surgical testicular sperm extraction surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital. 3. Surgically extracted sperm which are not found to have clinically usable quantities of sperm after standard of care manual processing for which samples would otherwise be discarded and the procedure deemed unsuccessful.

Exclusion Criteria

  1. Female subject (with whom male subjects intends to conceive with surgically extracted sperm) cannot or will not provide her informed consent for study participation. She will undergo ICSI at BWH with BWH embryology.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
IntelliWell Arm
  • Device: Use of IntelliWell to identify and localize sperm for ICSI
    The experimental arm will have surgically extracted testicular sperm processed with IntelliWell. If identified and confirmed by embryology, cryopreservation of sperm will occur. On day of ICSI, thaw of testicular sperm will occur and be processed by IntelliWell for identification and localization for use in ICSI.

Recruiting Locations

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Contact:
Martin Kathrins, MD
617-732-6227
mkathrins@bwh.harvard.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Study Contact

Martin Kathrins, MD
617-732-6227
mkathrins@bwh.harvard.edu