# Spontaneous Pregnancy After Isotretinoin Use in a Man After Unsuccessful Microdissection Testicular Sperm Extraction

**Authors:** Zaed Jaber, Kerat Hanspal, Osama Jaber, Ranjith Ramasamy

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.96813 · Cureus · 2025-11-14

## TL;DR

A man with infertility had a successful pregnancy after isotretinoin treatment, even after a failed surgical sperm retrieval.

## Contribution

This case suggests isotretinoin may improve sperm production in men with nonobstructive azoospermia.

## Key findings

- A man with non-obstructive azoospermia achieved natural conception after isotretinoin treatment.
- The case implies isotretinoin could be a noninvasive, cost-effective therapy for improving sperm production.
- Further studies are needed to confirm isotretinoin's effectiveness in men with nonobstructive azoospermia.

## Abstract

We report a spontaneous pregnancy in the partner of a man with non-obstructive azoospermia and histologically confirmed late maturation arrest following a failed microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). This patient was subsequently treated with isotretinoin for six months and, thereafter, conceived naturally without any assisted reproductive techniques. This case suggests the possibility of improvement in sperm production in men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) despite lack of success with surgical sperm retrieval and implicates isotretinoin as a potential therapeutic agent that is noninvasive and cost-effective. While causality cannot be established from a single case, these findings warrant further investigation in prospective studies.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** isotretinoin (PubChem CID 5282379)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** NOA (MESH:C564665), non-obstructive azoospermia (MESH:D053713)
- **Chemicals:** Isotretinoin (MESH:D015474)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

20 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12619667/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12619667