Varicocele and fertility: relationship between testicular volume and seminal parameters before and after treatment

ABSTRACT: Varicocele is a condition of varicosity and tortuosity of the pampiniform plexus that is often associated with a reduction in the volume of the affected testicle. Today there is much debate about how much the varicocele actually damages the reproductive system and the mechanism through which this occurs. Furthermore, it has not yet clearly been established if treatment is truly useful to restore testicular function. The goal of this study was to evaluate changes in the volume of the affected testis after treatment and to examine any correlations between volume and seminal parameters. We evaluated 43 patients with left idiopathic varicocele with ultrasound scan of the testis before and after surgery; testicular volume was obtained using the ellipsoid formula. We also examined semen parameters before and at an average time of 1 year after the procedure, using the WHO indications. We performed 2 statistical analyses, comparing changes in testicular volume before and after surgery, and volume with seminal parameters. Statistical analysis shows a significant increase of testicular volume after varicocele treatment (P , .05). Furthermore, the total number of spermatozoa and fast progressive spermatozoa rates significantly increased after surgery (respectively P , .05 and P , .01) (Figure 1). The Spearman correlation coefficient shows a good relationship between testicular volume and total number of spermatozoa (r 5 .445; P 5 .01). Our data point to the possibility that the affected testicle could benefit in terms of trophism and function after varicocele treatment. Ultrasound scan at follow-up permits assessment of not only the presence of recurrence, but it is also useful for evaluating trophism