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. 2017 Apr;6(2):264-270.
doi: 10.21037/tau.2017.03.56.

Does the number of veins ligated during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy impact improvement in pain post-surgery?

Haitham Elbardisi  1 , Ashok Agarwal  2 , Ahmad Majzoub  1 , Sami Al Said  1 , Hossameldin Alnawasra  1 , Kareim Khalafalla  1 , Khalid Al Rumaihi  1 , Abdulla Al Ansari  1 , Damayanthi Durairaganayagam  3 , Mohamed Arafa  1   4
Affiliations

Does the number of veins ligated during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy impact improvement in pain post-surgery?

Haitham Elbardisi et al. Transl Androl Urol. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Background: We examined the impact of the number of veins ligated during varicocelectomy on post-surgical improvement of pain in a group of men presenting with clinical varicocele and pain as an indication for surgery.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients presenting with clinical left varicocele to the male infertility unit at a teaching hospital in Qatar. Files of all patients who underwent sub-inguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy were retrieved and categorized into three groups indicating the number of spermatic veins ligated during varicocelectomy. The presence of pain was assessed during pre- and post-operation (at 3 and 6 months). Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test (K) and Chi-square test (C).

Results: Out of 675 records, 207 (30.7%) patients did left varicocelectomy for pain. Their mean age was 35.3±9.2 years. Pain was assessed in 106/207 (51.2%) patients post operatively, of whom 89 (84%) reported complete resolution of symptoms. This improvement was maintained irrespective of the number of veins ligated during surgery (<5 veins: 90.0%, 5-10 veins: 81.5%, and >10 veins: 85.7%).

Conclusions: Microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy is a valid treatment method for patients with a symptomatic clinical varicocele. While a significant post-surgical (at 6 months) reduction of pain was detected, the number of veins ligated intraoperatively was not predictive of post-operative improvement of pain in this study population.

Keywords: Varicocele; microsurgical varicocelectomy; outcome; post-surgical pain; veins ligated.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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