ICSI - Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

In intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), micro-manipulation is used to isolate a single sperm that is then injected directly into the egg.

This technique, used in conjunction with in vitro fertilization, has been especially successful as a treatment for men who have a low sperm count and women who have a small number of mature eggs.

In the IVF-ICSI procedure, the oocyte is prepared by removing its outer layer of cells called the cumulus. The oocyte is held gently by a holding pipette under a microscope.

The sperm that has been prepared for microinjection is then injected through a very fine micropipette into the body of the oocyte. The holding pipette is 20 times thinner than the human hair and the injection pipette is 60 times thinner than human hair. The egg itself is no bigger than the tip of a pin.

The microinjected egg is returned to the incubator and checked the following day for fertilization.