Relationship Between Varicocele Size and Response to Varicocelectomy

Abstract

We studied the relationship between varicocele size and response to surgery in 86 men with a unilateral left varicocele who reported either infertility (83), pain (1) or pain and testicular atrophy (2). Varicoceles were graded according to size: grade 1—small (22 patients), grade 2—medium (44) and grade 3—large (20). Sperm count, per cent motility, per cent tapered forms and fertility index (sperm count times per cent motility) were measured preoperatively and postoperatively.Preoperatively, men with grade 3 varicocele had lower sperm counts and poorer fertility indexes compared to men with grades 1 and 2 varicocele. Sperm concentration improved significantly in men with grade 2 (33 ± 5 million per cc preoperatively to 41 ± 6 million postoperatively, p <0.04) and grade 3 (18 ± 5 million preoperatively to 32 ± 7 million postoperatively) varicocele after microsurgical ligation of the varicocele. Motility improved significantly in men with grade 3 varicocele. Decrease in per cent tapered forms was significant in all groups. A comparison of per cent change in fertility index among the groups revealed that men with grade 3 varicocele improved to a greater degree (128%) than men with grade 1 (27%) or grade 2 (21%) varicocele. Pregnancy rates 2 years postoperatively were 40% for grade 1, 46% for grade 2 and 37% for grade 3 varicocele patients. The difference in pregnancy rates among the groups was not statistically significant.In conclusion, infertile men with a large varicocele have poorer preoperative semen quality but repair of the large varicocele in those men results in greater improvement than repair of a small or medium sized varicocele.