Varicocele related testicular atrophy and its predictive effect upon fertility

Varicoceles are the most common reversible cause of male factor infertility, yet approximately 80% of men with varicoceles are fertile. Therefore, it is unclear whether all adolescents should undergo prophylactic varicocelectomy to prevent future infertility or whether a subgroup of patients who are at increased risk for future infertility can be identified and treated. Testicular size discrepancy or hypotrophy of the testis associated with a unilateral varicocele has been suggested as an indication for prophylactic varicocelectomy in adolescents. We examined 946 men attending a urological clinic for complaints other than infertility to determine whether testis size discrepancy was predictive of infertility in men with left varicoceles. A left varicocele was detected on physical examination in 211 men, of whom 173 (82%) had been able to father children and 38 (18%) had never fathered children. A group of 630 men without palpable varicoceles served as controls, including 528 (84%) with a history of fertility. Testicular size was measured using an orchidometer and the average testicular volume difference was obtained by subtracting left from right testicular volume. The mean testicular volume difference for the fertile men without varicoceles (1.6 +/- 0.3 ml.) was significantly lower than the fertile men with varicoceles (3.1 +/- 0.4 ml.) (p < 0.05) and infertile men with varicoceles (2.5 +/- 0.6 ml.) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between fertile and infertile men with varicoceles. This study confirms prior reports that the majority of men with left varicoceles are able to father children and that varicoceles cause significant ipsilateral testicular atrophy/hypotrophy. However, we were unable to demonstrate a correlation between loss of testicular volume and fertility status in men with left varicoceles. Further study is needed to identify the clinical parameters predictive of future infertility in adolescents with varicoceles.