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Meta-Analysis
. 2015 Jan-Feb;17(1):74-80.
doi: 10.4103/1008-682X.136443.

Inguinal and subinguinal micro-varicocelectomy, the optimal surgical management of varicocele: a meta-analysis

Jun Wang, Shu-Jie Xia, Zhi-Hong Liu, Le Tao, Ji-Fu Ge, Chen-Min Xu, Jian-Xin Qiu  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Inguinal and subinguinal micro-varicocelectomy, the optimal surgical management of varicocele: a meta-analysis

Jun Wang et al. Asian J Androl. 2015 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Conventional meta-analyses have shown inconsistent results for the efficacy of various treatments of varicoceles. Therefore, we performed a multiple-treatment meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of 10 methods of varicocelectomy and embolization/sclerotherapy. We systematically reviewed 35 randomized controlled trials and observational studies, from 1966 to August 5, 2013, which compared any of the following treatments for varococeles: laparoscopic, retroperitoneal, open inguinal and subinguinal varicocelectomy, microsurgical subinguinal and inguinal varicocelectomy, percutaneous venous embolization, Tauber antegrade sclerotherapy, retrograde sclerotherapy and expectant therapy (no treatment). Inguinal and subinguinal microsurgery, open inguinal, laparoscopic varicocelectomy showed a significant advantage over expectant therapy in terms of pregnancy rates (odds ratio (OR): 3.48, 2.68, 2.92 and 2.90, respectively). Compared with retroperitoneal open surgery, inguinal microsurgery showed an improvement of sperm density (mean difference (MD): 10.60, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.92-19.60) and sperm motility (MD: 9.09, 95% CI: 4.88-13.30). Subinguinal and inguinal microsurgery outperformed retroperitoneal open surgery in terms of recurrence (OR: 0.05, 0.06 respectively). Tauber antegrade sclerotherapy and subinguinal microsurgery were associated with the lowest risk of hydrocele formation. The odds of overall complication, compared with retroperitoneal open varicocelectomy, were lowest for inguinal microsurgery (OR = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02-0.19), followed by subinguinal microsurgery (OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.02-0.19). Inguinal and subinguinal micro-varicocelectomy had the highest pregnancy rates, significant increases in sperm parameters, with low odds of complication. These results warrant additional properly conducted randomized controlled clinical studies with larger sample sizes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A study workflow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A risk of bias graph.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A comparison of pregnancy rates after various surgical/radiological treatments. (a) A forest plot of pregnancy rates. (b) A rank probability plot of pregnancy rates. Ctl: control; emb: percutaneous venous embolization; igmi: inguinal microsurgery; igo: inguinal open; lp: laparoscopic; ro: retropertional open; rScl: retrograde sclerotherapy; sbigmi: subinguinal microsurgery; sigo: subinguinal open; Tauber: Tauber sclerotherapy; CI: confidence interval.
Figure 4
Figure 4
A comparison of semen parameters after various surgical/radiological treatments. (a) A forest plot of sperm density (106 ml−1). (b) A forest plot of sperm motility (%). CI: confidence interval.
Figure 5
Figure 5
A comparison of complications after various surgical/radiological treatments. (a) A forest plot of recurrence of varicoceles. (b) A forest plot of hydrocele formation. (c) A forest plot of overall complications. CI: confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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