The role of the adrenal in the rat varicocele model

Sexually mature male Nb rats were subjected to left sided unilateral varicocele ligation. A control (sham surgery) group and experimental groups of concomitant ipsilateral adrenalectomy or delayed ipsilateral nephrectomy were constructed. Sperm motility, intratesticular testosterone concentration, testicular temperature and light microscopic histologic changes were ascertained eight weeks after the surgical procedure. Marked depression of intratesticular testosterone and sperm motility were noted in the varicocele and the varicocele plus nephrectomy groups. The varicocele plus ipsilateral adrenalectomy group showed no statistical changes in these parameters from the control (Sham) group. No significant alterations in testicular histology were noted between groups. These data tend to implicate an alteration in adrenal function or blood flow as an etiologic agent in the testicular alterations induced by the rat varicocele model.