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Varicocele 

 

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What is a varicocele?

 

Varicocele is the dilation of the veins in the testis which are responsible for delivering the contaminated blood to the heart. The causes are still unknown, but are seen in about one in five men. Expanding vessels cannot fully fulfill their duties. As a result, dirty blood needs to go up to the heart, but again, it begins to escape into the ovary (reflux current). The formation of reverse current also causes an oxygen-poor environment in the ovary and a high environment for toxins and oxidants. This may lead to problems in sperm development and cause infertility.

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How is Varicocele Diagnosed? Which tests are performed?

 

Varicocele is a disease diagnosed by physical examination. Visible varicocele is classified as grade 3. This is the highest class of varicocele. In the second step, if the patient is diagnosed with varicocele by the physician, sperm analysis and color ultrasound (scrotal doppler ultrasound) of the testes are performed. The aim is to determine whether this varicocele requires treatment.

 

Should Every Varicocele Be Treated?

 

No. Not every varicocele patient needs treatment. In patients with varicocele to be treated, an additional condition such as inability to have children (infertility), decrease in sperm values ​​or pain is required.

 

Will My Varicocele Get Worse?

 

Yes, this is possible. Varicocele is a progressive disease. At the same time, even if the degree of varicocele does not change, deterioration in sperm values ​​can be progressive. Therefore, patients diagnosed with varicocele should be checked regularly.

 

What are Varicocele Treatment options?

 

Varicocele is the most common cause of male sperm quality degradation. Not all varicocele patients have to undergo surgery. However, the only treatment for varicocele is surgery. There is no scientific validity of any drug or similar treatment.

 

What is the advantage of microscopic varicocele surgery?

 

Nowadays, the gold standard operation technique in the treatment of varicocele disease is varicocelectomy with microsurgery. Microscopic varicocelectomy is logically the same as open conventional varicocele surgery which has been performed for many years in the past. Here, however, the surgeon has the chance to perform the surgery with a detailed image that is zoomed up to 40 times what the human eye sees with a microscope designed for special surgery. In this way, the risk of complications is reduced and the chance of success increases. In the videos tab, you can see in detail how microscopic varicocelectomy is performed.