Treatment of Varicocele and Male Fertility

TLDR

A prospective randomized study followed 96 varicocele patients for four years, assigning 26 to surgery, 12 to sclerosation/embolization, and 41 to no therapy, with 54 having oligoasthenozoospermia and 25 normozoospermia. Pregnancy rates were higher in the untreated group (53.7%) than in the treated group (34.2%) but the difference was not significant, and although sperm concentration and motility improved after therapy, these changes were also not statistically significant, indicating varicocele treatment does not influence male fertility. Key words: infertility, varicocele, male infertility, treatment of varicocele, pregnancy rate.

Abstract

AbstractNinety-six patients with varicocele were followed for 4 years in a prospective randomized study. Seventeen patients were excluded from the study in accordance with exclusion criteria. In 26 patients varicocele was treated surgically and 12 patients were treated either by sclerosation or embolization. Forty-one patients with varicocele had no therapy. In 54 patients oligoasthenozoospermia and in 25 normozoospermia was certified. In the group of patients without treatment, the pregnancy rate in the women was higher (22/41, or 53.7%) than in the group receiving treatment (13/38, or 34.2%). The difference was not statistically significant. After therapy, sperm concentration increased and sperm motility improved also. The differences were not statistically significant. The study showed that varicocele therapy bears no influence on male fertility.Key Words: InfertilityVaricoceleMale infertilityTreatment of varicocelePregnancy rate.