Semen parameters and conception rates after surgical treatment and sclerotherapy of varicocele

Varicocele is an important cause of male subfertility which may lead to varying degrees of pathological semen quality. Removal of varicocele can be an effective andrological treatment if associated with subfertility. Therefore, in a retrospective study, two possible methods of treatment, high ligation and transcatheter sclerotherapy, were compared with regard to semen parameters and conception rates. Three months after treatment, only high ligation showed a significant improvement of sperm concentration, morphology and motility. Sperm concentration and motility, however, similarly increased in both groups after six to nine months. Sclerotherapy showed a better conception rate of 25% than the surgical group with 14%. Sclerotherapy should be the treatment of first choice if associated with subfertility.