Is it worthwhile to operate on subclinical right varicocele in patients with grade II-III varicocele in the left testicle?

To determine whether repair of subclinical varicoceles in the right testicle results in significant seminal improvement in patients with clinical left varicocele. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (unilateral varicocelectomy) and Group II (bilateral varicocelectomy-subclinical left vari...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics 2005-05, Vol.22 (5), p.227-231
Main Authors: Pasqualotto, Fáibio Firmbach, Lucon, Antônio Marmo, de Góes, Plínio Moreira, Sobreiro, Bernardo Passos, Hallak, Jorge, Pasqualotto, Eleonora Bedin, Arap, Sami
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Andrology
Female
Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood
Humans
Infertility
Infertility, Male - blood
Infertility, Male - pathology
Infertility, Male - surgery
Luteinizing Hormone - blood
Male
Motility
Patients
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Sperm
Sperm Count
Sperm Motility - physiology
Spermatogenesis
Testis - pathology
Testis - surgery
Testosterone - blood
Ultrasonic imaging
Varicocele - blood
Varicocele - pathology
Varicocele - surgery
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Summary:To determine whether repair of subclinical varicoceles in the right testicle results in significant seminal improvement in patients with clinical left varicocele. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (unilateral varicocelectomy) and Group II (bilateral varicocelectomy-subclinical left varicocele). The mean sperm concentration before treatment was higher in Group I (21.01 +/- 19.1) compared to Group II (5.7 +/- 10.7) (p = 0.04). An increase in volume was detected in the left testicle of patients in Group I (17 +/- 7.9 vs. 22.81 +/- 8.2; p = 0.04) and in the right testicle of patients in Group II (18.4 +/- 6.2 vs. 22.3 +/- 6.5; p = 0.04). Although the mean postoperative sperm concentration in Group I increased slightly (25.7 +/- 22.8), the mean sperm concentration in Group II increased significantly (30.32 +/- 9.8; p = 0.03). Pregnancy rate was higher in Group II (66.7%) compared to Group I (33.3%). Even a small, subclinical unrepaired varicocele continues to have a detrimental effect on bilateral testis function in a patient with grade II-III left varicocele.
ISSN:1058-0468
1573-7330
DOI:10.1007/s10815-005-4926-2