Scrotal Temperature and Semen Quality in Men With and Without Varicocele

TLDR

The exact role of varicocele in human male infertility remains controversial. Fifty-five male partners of infertile couples and 17 fertile donors were evaluated for semen quality, scrotal temperature, and varicocele presence using clinical palpation and Doppler ultrasound. The study found that varicocele prevalence was similar in infertile and fertile men, but infertile men with varicocele had higher left scrotal temperature and a greater proportion of abnormal sperm morphologies, suggesting that temperature and morphology assessments could predict varicocele presence and its detrimental impact.

Abstract

The exact role of varicocele in human male infertility remains controversial. Fifty-five male partners of infertile couples randomly selected and 17 fertile semen donors were evaluated for semen quality, scrotal temperature, and presence of varicocele using clinical palpation and Doppler ultrasound. The incidence of varicocele was 42% in male partners of infertile couples and 41% in fertile semen donors. Left scrotal temperature was significantly (p less than .001) higher in infertile males with varicocele as compared to all groups. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm in semen of males with and without varicocele. However, the incidence of tapered, elongated, and immature sperm was significantly higher in the infertile patient population with a varicocele. Measurement of scrotal temperature and assessment of sperm morphology may be used as predictors of the presence and deleterious effect of varicocele.