Varicocele

Varicocele treatment has traditionally involved open surgery, usually performed by a urologic surgeon, or urologist.

Varicocele Surgery

Varicocele Surgery is usually performed under general or regional anesthesia in an outpatient setting.

In this type of varicocele treatment, the surgeon makes small incision above the groin and cuts through the layers of tissue to expose the veins. The surgery then proceeds under the magnification of a microscope.

The affected veins are ligated, or tied off, to detour the flow of blood into normal veins. The advantages of this surgery are smaller incision and prevention of complications like ligation of testicular artery, hydrocele, and recurrence of varicocele. This surgery has a 99% success rate. Sometimes a laparoscope (a cylindrical metal scope inserted into the abdomen) is used to perform the surgery. Recovery time depends on the type of surgery, but most patients require up to six weeks before heavy lifting and other strenuous activities can be performed. Light activities may be resumed more quickly.

Varicocele Embolization

Varicocele embolization is an outpatient procedure that is performed without general anesthesia using "twilight" sedation. In this type of varicocele treatment, a small tube is inserted into the groin through a small nick in the skin (about the size of the lead in a pencil). Sometimes the tube is put in through a vein in the right side of the neck. The skin is numbed for this procedure and it is not painful. Next, a small catheter, or tube, is painlessly guided up into the abdomen and into the varicocele vein under the guidance of x-ray imaging.

A dye is injected to create an x-ray map (venogram) of the vein and tiny metal coils or other embolizing substances are inserted through the catheter to block the flow of blood to the vein.

Tube is removed and no stitches are needed. Patients are observed for a few hours and go home the same day. Recovery from varicocele embolization typically takes less than 24 hours and patients often return to work the next day.Any way this procedure is not standardised into practise fully now, in all aspects.