Indication of varicocelectomy for the treatment of male infertility
Okubo, K.; Nishiyama, H.; Okuno, H.; Ogawa, O.
Hinyokika Kiyo. Acta Urologica Japonica 50(8): 549-552
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0018-1994 PMID: 15471075 Document Number: 575790
The most common and correctable known cause of male infertifity is varicoceles, not all infertile patients with varicoceles present an improvement of fertility after surgical repair. In this study, we assessed preoperative factors predictive of improved fertility and/or semen parameters following varicocelectomy. We performed varicocelectomy on 148 consecutive infertile patients with varicocele between 1993 and 1999. Unassisted pregnancy was achieved in 38 (25.7%) patients. The patients with low grade varicocele, high serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), severe asthenozoospermia preoperatively had significant lower unassisted pregnancy rates compared to the others, respectively. Patients who have at least one of these three factors had a significantly lower unassisted pregnancy rate compared to patients without all three factors (7.7%, and 39.8%, respectively). In conclusion, certain preoperative variables in the physical and laboratory analyses appeared to predict a greater surgical response.