Objective: To assess the possibility of salvaging the cycle in a case of empty follicle syndrome by scheduling a second retrieval.
Setting: Miami IVF/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Center, Alexandria, Egypt. It is a private center.
Patient(s): A 24-year-old female with a 6-year history of primary infertility. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was performed because of her partner's obstructive azoospermia. No oocytes could be retrieved despite normal ultrasonic and hormonal responses and the presence of 25 mature follicles.
Intervention(s): Serum hCG on the day of the first retrieval. A second dose of hCG was given after the first retrieval, and a second retrieval was scheduled 24 hours later.
Main outcome measure(s): Number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization and cleavage rates, and pregnancy outcome.
Result(s): Serum beta-hCG level on the day of the first retrieval was 300 IU/mL. Eleven oocytes were retrieved, (7 were metaphase II, 3 fertilized, and 2 cleaved) and two embryos were transferred. No pregnancy resulted.
Conclusion(s): In a variant of empty follicle syndrome, the cycle could be salvaged by giving another dose of hCG and scheduling another retrieval 24 hours later.