Effect of Varicocele Catheter Guided Glue Embolization on Male Fertility

Abstract

Background: Varicoceles; dilation of veins within the pampiniform plexus, are present in 15% of the general male population. It is also one of the most frequent causes of male-factor infertility, with a prevalence of 30%–40% among men presenting for primary infertility evaluation and up to 85% in secondary infertility. Aim of work: The purpose of this study is to measure the success rate of the embolization technique in patients with clinical and radiological varicocele by U/S complaining of infertility. Patients and Methods: A prospective interventional study including 21patients suspecting varicocele presented by testicular pain or infertility, the patients underwent Varicocele embolization under local anesthesia with digital subtraction, then follow up was done after 2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. The study was conducted in the Radiology Department at Ain-Shams University Hospitals, the period was between January 2018 till the end of September 2019. Results: The proNedure done for the different NE‘teEiories of the pE‘tients in our study, 15 pE‘tient underwent AE–eft ISV emAE…oAE–izE‘tion, 4 NE‘ses underwent AE…iAE–E‘terE‘AE– ISV, in one pE‘tient we emAE…oAE–ized riEiht ISV, E‘nd fE‘iAE–ed E‘t one NE‘se to NE‘thetrize ISV. The study showed that there was statistically significant increase in number and motility of the studied cases with p-value = 0.030 and 0.002 respectively on follow up. 47.6 % of our patients underwent minor complications with 23.8 % of them underwent post procedural pain, 9.5 % ISV peroferation, 4.7 % underwent extravasation and we failed to catherterize the ISV in 4.7 % of the cases. Conclusion: Gonadal Vein Embolization is an effective way in treating varicocele, with our study showing significant improve as regard sperm count /ml with significant decrease in the patient in comparison to pre and post procedural data, with highly significant improve of sperm motility in 3 months follow up.