Varicocele

Varicocele occurs when the veins in the scrotum get swollen. The exact cause of the condition is not known. However, doctors believe that the accumulation of blood in the veins in the testicles causes the veins to swell. The condition may not cause any symptoms but it may cause infertility.

What is Varicocele?
Symptoms
Varicocele Treatment Options
FAQ'S

What is Varicocele?

Varicocele is the swelling of veins in the scrotum. The scrotum is located behind the penis. It is like a pocket that contains the testicles, or testes. When blood gets collected in the veins instead of circulating out of the scrotum, it leads to varicocele. The condition is similar to varicose veins, where the veins in the legs become swollen.

While varicocele usually does not cause pain, it may hurt the testicles.

Varicocele may also cause low sperm production leading to infertility. Around 15% of couples experience infertility, and varicocele is a common cause of male infertility.

Varicocele is not a life-threatening condition, but it may cause difficulty in conception. However, with a timely diagnosis, your doctor can help repair the disorder and increase your chances of fertility.

Symptoms

Varicocele commonly occurs on the left of the scrotum. You may not notice any symptoms of the condition, but you may experience the following:

1. Discomfort

You may experience a dull ache or pain in the scrotum, especially when standing or during any physical activity. It may increase over the day. However, the pain subsides when lying down.

2. A mass on the testicle

The enlarged veins may lead to the formation of a bundle on the testicle. This resembles a lump. A smaller varicocele may not be visible, but it can be noticed with touch during physical examination.

3. Change in the size of the testicle

An affected testicle may also appear smaller than the other testicle. This may occur due to testicular atrophy, or shrinking of the testicle.

4. Low sperm quality

Varicocele may lead to difficulty in achieving pregnancy as it affects sperm production and sperm quality. This happens due to the increase in the temperature in and around the testicle. However, not every varicocele causes infertility.

Varicocele Treatment Options

Surgery

Sublingual microsurgical varicocelectomy: This is an open surgery that takes a couple of hours. Here, the surgeon makes a cut in the groin to reach the varicocele and study the enlarged veins.
Microscopic Varicocelectomy: This procedure takes one to three hours. Here, the surgeon makes a small incision or slit in the groin. Then, using a powerful microscope, they identify and cut the veins to seal off their ends.
Laparoscopic Varicocelectomy: This procedure takes 30 – 40 minutes. The surgeon makes several incisions in the lower abdomen. Then, they insert a laparoscope into the incisions to observe the varicocele on a computer screen. They use tiny instruments to operate upon the varicocele.

These procedures have a low risk of complications. You will not feel any pain as they are performed under general anaesthesia.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy is performed under general anaesthesia and you should feel anything during the procedure.

Complete recovery typically takes between 2-3 weeks, but you can return to a sedentary job in 1-3 days.

Treatments for varicoceles present relatively few risks like developing a hydrocele (build-up of fluid around the testicle), recurrence of varicoceles, infection, and damage to an artery. Minimally invasive techniques like microsurgical varicocelectomy are aimed at minimising the risk of such complications while improving treatment outcomes.

Non-surgical treatment for varicoceles is called embolization, however, this procedure isn’t as widely used as surgery.

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