A fifteen-year retrospective analysis of varicocele embolization: evaluating success, recurrence rates and embolic agents

Abstract

Introduction: A varicocele is a venous dilatation due to valvular incompetence within the pampiniform plexus, affecting 10-20% of the population and found in 40% of men with primary infertility (Hum Reprod Update 7(1):59-64, 2001, Cochrane Database System Rev (3), 2004, Curr Urol 6(1):33-6, 2012, World J Men's Health 37(1):4, 2019). Varicocele associated pain occurs in 2-10% of cases (Hum Reprod Update 7(1):59-64, 2001, SpringerPlus 4:1-5, 2015). Treatment options include conservative management, percutaneous embolization, or surgery (Urology 72(1):77-80, 2008). In the literature, percutaneous embolization has a technical failure rate ranging from 0 to 13.9% and recurrence rates of around 13% (Cochrane Database System Rev 4(4):CD000479, 2021). This study evaluates the success and recurrence of percutaneous varicocele embolizations over fifteen years and compares the embolic materials used.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of all adult patients who underwent varicocele embolization performed from April 2008 to February 2023 in two tertiary centres. Data collected included patient age, procedure date, access site, side of occurrence, previous interventions, treatment method, need for re-intervention, and recurrence rates. We defined technical success as successful access to the gonadal vein and embolization of same with coil/sclerosant. We assessed clinical success through follow-up telephone consultations and ultrasound.

Results: The technical and clinical success rate was 96% and 93.75%, respectively. Of 225 patients, 3.12% had prior failed surgeries, all were treated successfully with IR, and only 0.89% required further surgical intervention. Patients reported recurrence rate of 25% of cases during telephone follow-up. However, the confirmed actual recurrence rate based on ultrasound was only 6.25%. The complication rate was low (1.78%), with no major events. Among patients treated for subfertility, 51.35% achieved successful conception following percutaneous embolization. Outcomes did not significantly differ based on the type of embolic material used.

Conclusion: Percutaneous embolization is a safe, effective, and durable treatment for varicocele, demonstrating high technical and clinical success regardless of embolic material used with a low recurrence rate over long-term follow-up. It remains effective even in cases of prior failed surgical repair and is associated with promising fertility outcomes. These findings support embolization as a first-line treatment in varicocele management.

Keywords: Embolization; Fertility; Infertility; Interventional; Male; Percutaneous procedures; Radiology; Recurrence; Sclerosing solutions; Treatment outcome; Varicocele; Vascular surgical procedures.