The ZSC™ II System
The new, convenient and affordable system for sperm preparation / IUI in an OB/Gyn office.
Message from Prof. Dr. Panayiotis M. Zavos
President and CEO of Zavos Diagnostic Laboratories, Inc.
Inventor and developer of the Zavos Swim-Up Column Technology.
"We are dedicated to the development of new and innovative products for our infertility patients and their attending physicians. We strive every day to do just that for you."
The Unique Configuration of the ZSC™-II Technology
The ZSC™-II is a simple, self-contained system for the recovery of high quality progressively motile sperm from semen. Unlike other conventional sperm preparation methods, the ZSC™-II technology is fast, inexpensive and a simple one-step standardized method.
The ZSC™-II washes and simultaneously selects the spermatozoa, thus eliminating the need for the tedious steps of sperm processing techniques, including dilution and centrifugation. This product is the answer for the physician who wishes to establish a self-sufficient practice and eliminate the need for outside laboratory assistance for semen preparation.
The unique configuration of the ZSC™-II column maximizes and combines the “swim-up/swim-down” phenomenon, yielding a greater number of high-quality, morphologically normal, motile spermatozoa. Because the semen specimen is safely protected within the one-of-a-kind conical cavity inside the ZSC™-II column prior to the addition of media, the risks of “mixing” the media with the specimen are eliminated. Thus, the possible contamination of the media that contains the healthy spermatozoa is totally reduced.
Following the placement of the seminal specimen into the ZSC™-II conical cavity, media is placed around and over the cone. During the incubation period, the most motile and morphologically normal sperm “Swim-up” and out of the cone, and subsequently “swim-down” into the media surrounding the cone. This process
not only separates the most motile sperm from the seminal plasma, but also washes the sperm, thus eliminating the
need for timely centrifugation procedures.
The principle behind the ZSC™-II technology is the unique geometric configuration of the columns, which includes the
conical cavity inside the ZSC™-II. Furthermore, when the ZSC™-II is used in conjunction with the SpermPrep™
Medium (a HEPES buffered, HAMS F-10 formulation), maximal retrieval (up to 100%) of the media overlaid containing
morphologically normal, highly motile sperm can be expected. Comparatively, in conventional swim-up methods,
only a portion of media containing viable sperm is retrievable, due to differences in the techniques.
References:
Zavos PM, Zarmakoupis-Zavos PN (2000): Performing IUI in the Office Setting. OBG Management. 12 (4): 78-84.
Zavos PM, Zarmakoupis-Zavos PN, Correa JR, Aslanis P, Zarmakoupis PN (2000): Assessment of two devices for in
vitro preparation of human semen. Arch. Androl. 45: 85-90.
Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Using the ZSC™ II System
Step 1: Preparation:
Remove the ZSC™ II kit from its pouch.
Place it in the Lab Top™ Incubator and maintain a temperature of 37°C throughout the procedure.
Keep the SpermPrep™ Media at the same temperature (37°C).
Remove the top stopper and, using the disposable plastic pipette provided, add 2.0 mL of liquefied semen into the cone at the bottom of the ZSC™ II column until completely filled.
Step 2: Add the Media:
Using the enclosed tuberculin syringe and needle, aspirate 0.7 mL of SpermPrep™ Media from the vial.
Allow the media to warm, then place it around the cone containing the semen until the cone is fully covered.
Replace and secure the top stopper.
Step 3: Incubation:
Place the ZSC™ II in the Lab Top™ Incubator at 37°C for 45–60 minutes.
For specimens with lower motile sperm counts, incubation can be extended to harvest a larger population of motile sperm, potentially improving success rates.
Step 4: Collection:
Remove the ZSC™ II from the incubator.
Using the provided syringe with needle, aspirate all the media by inserting the needle along the outside of the bottom cone and withdrawing until all media containing the healthy sperm is collected (approximately 0.7 mL).
The recovered sperm can be used as-is or concentrated further via centrifugation before performing IUI or other ART procedures.
The standard 0.7 mL sample is typically suitable for direct intrauterine insemination.
Step 5: Insemination:
If your ZSC™ II kit includes an IUI catheter, or if you have your own, detach the needle from the syringe and attach the catheter.
Perform the IUI procedure as usual.
A variety of compatible IUI catheters are available for different clinical preferences.
FTI, Inc. recommends the use of the LabTop™ Incubator with its ZSC™ II Swim-Up Columns, as research has shown that maintaining the specimen at physiological temperature (37°C) during preparation ensures maximum retrieval of healthy, motile spermatozoa.
The LabTop™ Incubator is compact — measuring just 6” × 7¼” × 3¼” — yet it contains eight wells, accommodating not only ZSC™ II columns but also standard test tubes.
This makes it a universal warming device for a variety of incubation procedures in any laboratory or clinical setting.
In addition to its functionality, the LabTop™ Incubator is affordable compared to similar devices.
FTI offers special discount incentives and promotional packages when purchasing the LabTop™ Incubator together with the ZSC™ II System.
The Zavos& IUI Catheter is a 5Fr IUI catheter made out of clear polyethylenic, 18 cm in length. With an OD of 1.6 min and an ID of 1.0 mm, a 5 cm distal segment with double side eyes and a rounded tip insure a very smooth entry through the cervix with minimal disturbance to the endometrial stroma. The Zavos* IUI catheter allows for the sperm to bypass the cervix so that an increased number of high-quality sperm can reach the uterine cavity and the fallopian tubes.
We also carry a variety of other intrauterine insemination catheters and devices:
Testimonials
Publications
- Zarmakoupis-Zavos, P.N., Sofikitis, N., Zavos, P.M.: Sperm Characteristics and IVF outcome. Comparisons between the ZSC and Percoll density gradients recovered spermatozoa. Annual Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Las Vegas, NV, May 1997.
- Zavos, P.M., Zarmakoupis-Zavos, P.N., Aslanis, P., Antipas, S. and Zarmakoupis, C.N.: Comparative assessment of the ZSC vs Sperm SelectTM methods for in vitro preparation of human spermatozoa: Quantitative and qualitative measurements. ESHRE, Goteborg, Sweden, June 21-24, l998.
- Zavos, P.M., Zarmakoupis-Zavos, P.N., Aslanis, P., Antipas, S. and Zarmakoupis, C.N.: Comparative assessment of the ZSC vs Sperm SelectTM methods for in vitro preparation of human spermatozoa: Quantitative and qualitative measurements. ESHRE, Goteborg, Sweden, June 21-24, l998.
