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Review
. 2023 Jun 15;12(12):4062.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12124062.

Varicocele: To Treat or Not to Treat?

Antonio Franco  1 , Flavia Proietti  2 , Veronica Palombi  2 , Gabriele Savarese  2 , Michele Guidotti  3 , Costantino Leonardo  2 , Fabio Ferro  4 , Claudio Manna  5 , Giorgio Franco  2
Affiliations
Review

Varicocele: To Treat or Not to Treat?

Antonio Franco et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Varicocele treatment in infertility still remains controversial. It is clear, in fact, that in many patients, varicocele has no impact on fertility. Recent scientific evidence demonstrated that varicocele treatment is beneficial in improving semen parameters and pregnancy rate when an appropriate selection of patients is made. The purpose of treating varicocele in adults is mainly to improve current fertility status. On the other hand, the goal of treatment in adolescents is to prevent testicular injury and maintain testicular function for future fertility. Hence, the key to the success of varicocele treatment seems to be a correct indication. The aim of this study is to review and summarize current evidence in managing varicocele treatment focusing on the controversies regarding surgical indications in adolescent and adult patients, and in other specific situations such as azoospermia, bilateral or subclinical varicocele, and prior to ART.

Keywords: ART; infertility; varicocele repair; varicocelectomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Microsurgical lymphatic sparing Palomo technique (arrow: spared lymphatics).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow chart analyzing indications to treat varicocele or perform ART.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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