Varicocele treatment: prospective randomized trial of 3 methods

This study was done to evaluate the surgical results and the impact on fertility potential of 3 methods of varicocele treatment. Consecutive varicocele patients with primary or secondary infertility were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups. Of the patients 36 underwent percutaneous embolization, 55 high ligation of the internal spermatic vein and 28 transinguinal simultaneous ligation of the internal and external spermatic veins. The transinguinal ligation proved to be safe. There was no difference in pregnancy rates but the seminal variables showed a slight improvement with statistical significance only in the 2 open surgical methods. There were no surgical failures in the transinguinal group as opposed to the other 2 techniques. Transinguinal ligation of the internal and external spermatic veins may be recommended as the primary treatment for varicocele. This technique also seems to be the procedure of choice when repeat intervention is required for failure of high ligation or embolization.