Khalil Faaed: What Else Are We Injecting During ICSI Besides a Sperm?
Khalil Faaed, Clinical Embryologist at Indira IVF, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“What Else Are We Injecting During ICSI Besides a Sperm?
For over three decades, ICSI has revolutionized the treatment of male infertility. Yet one routine component of the procedure often escapes discussion: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).
PVP is routinely used to immobilize sperm before injection, but a small amount is commonly introduced into the oocyte along with the sperm. This raises an important question: Is PVP simply an inert laboratory aid, or could it have subtle biological effects on the oocyte?
While experimental studies have reported concerns such as osmotic stress, intracellular persistence, and potential cytotoxicity under certain conditions, clinical evidence has generally shown no consistent negative impact on fertilization, embryo development, or pregnancy outcomes when PVP is used appropriately.
As IVF laboratories refine every aspect of ART, perhaps it’s also time to revisit the materials we have long considered routine. Scientific progress begins by questioning even our most established practices.
What is your perspective? Is current evidence sufficient, or should we continue exploring safer and more physiological alternatives?”
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