The varicocele and male infertility

Varicocele is accepted as a common cause of male subfertility, even though many men with varicocele appear to have normal fertility. The pathophysiology of the varicocele effect on fertility remains unclear, but the association of varicocele with decreased testicular size, abnormal testicular histology, and abnormal semen parameters is clearly established. Because a small varicocele may impair fertility, it must be diligently sought, and the Doppler stethoscope may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis when a venous thrill is equivocal during the Valsalva maneuver in a standing patient. Abnormal semen parameters should be demonstrated in subfertile males with varicocele prior to advising varicocelectomy. Decreased sperm motility or a "stress pattern" in the semen should be documented; however a decreased sperm count may or may not be present. Various surgical approaches are available. When suprainguinal approaches have been used, failures have been shown to be attributable to secondarily incompetent cremasteric system veins. When high inguinal approaches are used, unsuccessful operations are probably secondary to a failure to identify one of the several venous tributaries that may be present at this level. The surgeon's approach should be based on available data, and his patients should be informed that failures are possible with any method of varicocelectomy until experience indicates otherwise. In most series, improvement in semen quality and pregnancy rates have been reported in a significant percentage of patients undergoing varicocelectomy for infertility. However, prior to subjection of the patient to varicocelectomy, the wife of the varicocele patient should be thoroughly studied (and treated when indicated).