The effect of microsurgical varicocelectomy on semen parameters in men with non-obstructive azoospermia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy on semen parameters in azoospermic men with clinical varicocele and to determine the predictive parameters of postoperative improvement.

Twenty-three men with non-obstructive complete azoospermia and varicocele underwent subinguinal open microsurgical varicocele repair. The outcome was assessed in terms of improvement in semen parameters after surgical repair for varicocelectomy.

Bilateral varicocelectomy was performed on 15 patients and unilateral (left) varicocelectomy was performed on 8 patients. In the post-operative period, of the 23 patients, 7 (30.4%) had motile sperm in the ejaculate. The mean sperm concentration of these patients was 1.34 ± 2.6 × 10(6)/ml and the mean total sperm motility was 37.5 ± 15.5%.

Infertile men with non-obstructive azospermia can have improvement in semen analysis after subinguinal microsurgical repair of varicoceles. Motile sperm in ejaculate were detected after microsurgical varicocele repair.