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Effect of adult microsurgical varicocelectomy on testicular volume
F Papanikolaou1, V Chow, K Jarvi
1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Objectives:
To re-examine the potential influence of varicocelectomy on testicular volume using scrotal ultrasonography, because it has been reported that total testicular volume (assessed by physical examination) increases after adult varicocele ligation.
Methods:
A retrospective review of the testicular volume and semen parameters of 61 men who underwent microsurgical varicocelectomy between 1996 and 1998 was performed. Ultrasound-derived testicular volumes and total motile sperm counts were compared before varicocelectomy and at a mean of 7.2 months postoperatively.
Results:
Bilateral varicocelectomy was performed in 22 men; 39 men underwent a left-sided procedure only. Overall, no significant change was found in the mean total testicular volume after varicocelectomy compared with preoperatively (24.0 versus 23.9 mL, respectively; P = 0.74). Similarly, the testicular volumes did not change significantly after left or bilateral varicocelectomy (P >0.05). Overall, the mean total motile sperm count increased significantly after varicocelectomy (17. 9 to 25.4, P = 0.05).
Conclusions:
This was the first study to examine the effect of adult varicocelectomy on testicular volume using ultrasound-derived measurements of volume. Unlike previous findings, our data suggest that although adult varicocelectomy improves semen quality in most infertile men, it does not result in a significant increase in testicular volume.