Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Varicocele: a progressive or static lesion?

M A Witt1, L I Lipshultz

  • 1Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

Urology
|November 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Lessons learned in andrology: standing on the shoulders of giants.

Andrology·2016
Same author

Microscopic visualization of intravasal spermatozoa is positively associated with patency after bilateral microsurgical vasovasostomy.

Andrology·2015
Same author

The male infertility office visit.

Minerva urologica e nefrologica = The Italian journal of urology and nephrology·2015
Same author

Effects of cigarette smoking on erectile dysfunction.

Andrologia·2015
Same author

Men regret anabolic steroid use due to a lack of comprehension regarding the consequences on future fertility.

Andrologia·2014
Same author

Testosterone therapy and mortality risk.

International journal of impotence research·2014
Same journal

"Editorial Comment on "Vaginal Estrogen Prescription is Associated with Reduced Rates of Serious Adverse Outcomes in Women of All Age Groups With Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection: An Epic Cosmos Database Analysis".

Urology·2026
Same journal

The True Oral History of Buccal Mucosal Grafts for Male Urethral Stricture Repair.

Urology·2026
Same journal

Preventing Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Clinical Evidence and Policy Gaps in U.S. Coverage of Pelvic Floor Muscle Therapy.

Urology·2026
Same journal

Editorial Comment on "Through the Eyes of the Applicant: A Qualitative Study of the Urology Residency Match".

Urology·2026
Same journal

Editorial Comment on "A Histopathologic Assessment of Prostate Ductal Anatomy in Relation to Micro-Ultrasound".

Urology·2026
Same journal

Same-Day Discharge Following Multiport Robot-Assisted Simple Prostatectomy: A Prospective Feasibility Study of Outcomes, Costs, and Post-Discharge Healthcare Utilization.

Urology·2026
See all related articles

Varicoceles can cause progressive fertility loss in men, not just static infertility. This study found varicoceles are the leading cause of secondary infertility and more frequent than in primary infertility cases.

Area of Science:

  • Urology
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Andrology

Background:

  • Varicoceles are linked to testicular atrophy in adolescents.
  • The progressive impact of varicoceles on fertility remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if varicoceles cause progressive loss of established fertility.
  • To compare varicocele prevalence in secondary versus primary infertility.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective, date-matched study of 2,989 infertility patients (1985-1990).
  • Analysis of varicocele diagnosis in patients with secondary infertility.
  • Comparison with varicocele prevalence in primary infertility cases.

Main Results:

  • Varicocele was the cause in 69% of secondary infertility cases (177/285).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Varicocele prevalence was significantly higher in secondary infertility (69%) than primary infertility (50%) (p < 0.0001).
  • A varicocele was identified as a progressive lesion causing fertility loss.

    • Conclusions:

    • Varicocele is a progressive cause of infertility, leading to loss of previously achieved fertility.
    • Varicoceles are the primary cause of secondary infertility.
    • Varicoceles occur more frequently in men with secondary infertility compared to primary infertility.