Varicocele
What is Varicocele?
Varicocele is a dilation of the testicular veins with reflux of blood inside them. Varicocele is carried out for anatomical reasons in 90% of cases at the level of the left testicle.
This type of problem is caused by anatomical, constitutional and hereditary factors that favor this reflux of blood with venous dilation and blood stagnation at the level of the testicle.
The varicocele is a fairly common occurrence, it occurs in about 15% of boys between 15 and 25 years, most frequently can during puberal age.
Varicocele is in first place as a cause of male infertility, because stagnation of blood in the testicle can determine an increase in temperature at this level, with damage in sperm production.
How is Varicocele clinic?
Varicocele frequently runs asymptomatic, sometimes can give a testicular tenderness or feeling of heaviness. These symptoms can be accentuated with high external temperatures, with physical exercise or sexual intercourse, as well as after standing or sitting too long.
How is Varicocele diagnosis?
It is important to establish the "degree" of varicocele (I °, II °, III °), since greater its degree, greater is the negative repercussions on the fertility of the individual.
Useful for establishing the degree of varicocele is an absolutely non-invasive test called testicular ecocolor-doppler that shows the pathological reflux of blood in the testicular veins. If the boy is 18 aged, it is advisable to carry out an examination of the seminal fluid , to assess the subject's fertility.
How is Varicocele therapy ?
Treatment options can be:
- Surgical
This kind of operation is performed with the aid of magnification means - loupes - and / or operator microscope, given the extreme delicacy of the structures involved, is practiced in Day Hospital or in One Day Surgery.
The small skin incision (3 - 4 cm) is performed at the inguinal level with the ligation of the dilated veins of the testicle.
- Percutaneous scleroembolization
This kind of interventional radiology method is performed without cutting, but is burdened by a greater number of relapses of the pathology than microsurgical intervention and consists in the use of sclerosing substances that injected, through a small vascular catheter, at the level of the dilated veins of the testicle, they can proceed to their closure.
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Nursing Home "Villa Donatello"
Piazzale Donatello, 14 - 50132 Florence
Phone: +39 055 50975
Fax: +39 055 579070
Medical Office "Lilia"
Via Luca Giordano, 7/C - 50132 Florence
Phone: +39 055 0354444
Medical Office Villa Chiara
Piazza Antonio Gramsci, 8
50053 - Empoli (Florence)
Phone and Fax: +39 0571 981125