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. 2025 Jan 28;6(2):208-215.
doi: 10.1016/j.xfre.2025.01.017. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Ex vivo oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation in an adolescent patient with recurrent ovarian dysgerminoma: a case report and review of the literature

Addison W Alley  1 , Leah J Cooper  1 , Meredith A Humphreys  1 , Benjamin R Emery  2 , Kenneth I Aston  2 , Zachary J Kastenberg  3 , Matthew X Luo  4 , Katherine G Hayes  1   5 , Douglas Fair  6 , Casey Mehrhoff  6 , Joseph M Letourneau  1 , Krista J Childress  1   5
Affiliations

Ex vivo oocyte retrieval for fertility preservation in an adolescent patient with recurrent ovarian dysgerminoma: a case report and review of the literature

Addison W Alley et al. F S Rep. .

Abstract

Objective: To describe fertility preservation via ex vivo oocyte retrieval for an adolescent patient undergoing oophorectomy for recurrent ovarian dysgerminoma and to review the available literature regarding this technique.

Design: Case report and literature review.

Subjects: A 17-year-old female with a medical history of right ovarian dysgerminoma treated with oophorectomy 3 years prior, who presented with a retroperitoneal mass noted during surveillance. Biopsy of the mass and remaining ovary confirmed recurrent stage III ovarian dysgerminoma. The patient desired fertility preservation. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and traditional transvaginal oocyte retrieval were contraindicated because of the ovarian malignancy.

Exposure: The patient underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with gonadotropins followed by laparotomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy 36 hours after ovulation trigger. An ex vivo retrieval of oocytes was performed under both direct visualization and ultrasound guidance in the operating room after excision of the ovary and isolated using a "mobile IVF" setup.

Main outcome measures: Number of meiosis II oocytes cryopreserved.

Results: A total of 12 meiosis II oocytes were retrieved from the ovary and were successfully cryopreserved. The patient tolerated the procedure well and has since completed chemotherapy.

Conclusion: The combination of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation followed by ex vivo oocyte retrieval provides select patients with an opportunity for fertility preservation that may have otherwise faced a complete loss of fertility. In this case, the patient was able to preserve oocytes without jeopardizing her health status or delaying cancer therapy.

Keywords: Fertility preservation; cancer; case report; ex vivo; oncofertility.

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Conflict of interest statement

A.W.A. has nothing to disclose. L.J.C. has nothing to disclose. M.A.H. has nothing to disclose. B.R.E. has nothing to disclose. K.I.A. has nothing to disclose. Z.J.K. has nothing to disclose. M.X.L. has nothing to disclose. K.G.H. has nothing to disclose. D.F. has nothing to disclose. C.M. has nothing to disclose. J.M.L. reports honoraria from Oncofertility Educational Lectures for EMD Serono; American Society of Clinical Oncology Fertility Preservation Guidelines Update Committee outside the submitted work. K.J.C. has nothing to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Left: superficial follicles are aspirated from the oophorectomized ovary under direct visualization. Center: deeper follicles were identified by ultrasound and aspirated. Right: appearance of ovary on ultrasound after oophorectomy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
An embryologist isolates oocytes within the “mobile IVF lab” isolette.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pathology slide showing ovarian dysgerminoma (left side of image: large cells with prominent cytoplasm). Primordial follicles visible on right side of image. Image credit Matthew X. Luo, MD.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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