Thirty-three patients with azoospermia of apparently excretory origin underwent surgery for epididymis-deferens anastomosis and/or epididymal sperm puncture. Pathology examinations of the epididymal fluid and biopsies of the testicles or epididymis were performed at surgery. Based on the clinical presentation, sperm results and per-operative findings, patients were divided into six groups by etiology: idiopathic azoospermia (n = 5), post-infectious azoospermia (n = 15), agenesia of the excretory (n = 6) or secretory (n = 3) ducts, vasectomy (n = 2), and obstruction of the ejaculatory ducts (n = 2). Peroperative identification of spermatozoa at epididymal puncture or biopsy was statistically more frequent in patients with agenesis of the excretory ducts than in patients with post-infectious or idiopathic azoospermia. Biopsies of the testicle led to the diagnosis of secretory azoospermia in 3 cases and revealed a functional parenchyma in all the other groups of patients. Epididymis-deferens anastomosis was performed in 45% of the cases and was successful in 13%. Rate of fertility with the intracytoplasmic sperm injection was 33%; there was no difficulty in using fresh or frozen sperm. Clinical pregnancy was continued to term with frozen sperm. This study confirms that testicular function is preserved in excretory azoospermia. With or without epididymis-deferens anastomosis, epididymal spermatozoa can generally be preserved for later use. Couples should however be counselled on the delays to contraception which may vary from months to years.