Preserved testicular artery at varicocele repair

Whether or not varicocele causes infertility is a contentiously debated issue. This study aimed to compare semen parameters and pregnancy rate in infertile males who underwent varicocelectomy with preserved or accidentally ligated testicular artery. Ninety-five infertile oligoasthenozoospermic patients with left-sided varicocele were subjected to subinguinal varicocelectomy with trial of preserving testicular artery. According to absence or presence of testicular artery in the histological excised pedicle the cases were divided into two groups; group 1 (n = 60) with preserved testicular artery and group 2 (n = 35) where the artery was accidentally ligated being not defined or injured. Semen analysis was carried out after 4, 8 and 12 months and post-operative pregnancy rate was assessed after 1 year. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH) and total testosterone (T) were estimated pre- and post-operatively. Semen parameters (total sperm count, sperm concentration and sperm motility) showed significant increase post-operatively compared with pre-operative parameters but were comparable in both groups with no significant difference. Serum FSH, LH, T hormones and pregnancy rate (23.3% versus 22.9%) 1 year post-operatively showed no significant difference. It is concluded that accidental ligation of testicular artery has no deleterious effect on semen parameters during primary varicocele repair if the testicular arterial supply was not compromised.