Microsurgical Varicocelectomy

WHAT ARE VARICOCELES?

A varicocele is an abnormal condition where the veins in the scrotum are dilated or swollen affecting a Man’s fertility as Varicocele obstructs the usual flow of sperm.

Most varicoceles are noticed in teenage, but varicoceles can happen at any age of a man’s life.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VARICOCELE?

Most men with a varicocele do not experience any signs and symptoms. Still, Varicocele is a matter of concern for any reason, mainly male infertility due to the obstructed flow of sperm. We at the medical treatment centre in Delhi, India encourage such men to consult the Urologist with no delay.

But a few Men experiences the following symptoms :

• Pain or discomfort in the affected testicle
• Discomfort in testicles after exercising
• Discomfort in testicles on standing for a long time
• Swelling around the testicular region
• Unequal size of both testicles

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF VARICOCELE?

• The valves in the veins may not work well
• If blood flow is sluggish, blood may pool in the veins causing the dilation
• When in any condition, blood flows backward or pools in the veins, that can cause them to swell.

HOW IS VARICOCELE DIAGNOSED?

Varicocele can be diagnosed through physical examination by the Top Urologist in Delhi.

As mentioned above, the affected testicle (with the varicocele) may be smaller than the other testicle.

A scrotal ultrasound is recommended by the Urologist or Andrologist or Male infertility doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

Doctor for infertility in Delhi may recommend Semen tests and other blood tests for Men who are concerned about their fertility.

HOW IS VARICOCELE TREATED?

Men with asymptomatic varicocele (with no or minimal symptoms) need not undergo any treatment. However such Men must visit the doctors for fertility to avoid last minute hassle.

Following treatment options are enough to control the discomfort in Men having mild or occasional symptoms:

• Wearing scrotal support during exercises or when standing for long.
• Applying ice to the scrotum.
• Avoid the activities that cause discomfort.
• Taking the occasional over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen. But we advise consulting the Urologist once.

In the cases when non-invasive methods of treatment do not help to overcome the varicocele symptoms, also the man is worried about his fertility, in those cases, Varicocele can be treated with surgical intervention.

The aim of surgery is to stop the blood flow through the enlarged veins.

Surgical treatment is advised in the following cases :

• Infertility, Man is not able to father his own biological child.
• Constant pain
• The affected testicle grows slowly as compared to the other testicle.
• Teenagers or young boys with smaller or undeveloped testicle are prone to fertility issues when they get older.
• There are no such medicines available to treat or prevent varicoceles.

Hence, Surgery is the gold standard treatment in case of varicocele.

Surgery for Varicocele, Best doctor for Varicocele surgery in Delhi, India

Open Surgery is done under local or general anesthesia.

Laparoscopic Surgery is done under general anesthesia using a small camera in the patient’s body.

Percutaneous Embolization is done by a Radiologist. It often takes several hours to complete the procedure. Some issues in this procedure are:

• Varicocele remain persistent or recur
• The recurrence rate with embolization is usually higher than with other surgery.
• A chance of infection as the procedure involves placing a tube in testicles for long hours
• This method is outdated hence is not used these days at good centers and clinics of fertility in Delhi.

Microsurgical Varicocelectomy: A Safe and Effective Varicocele Treatment

This procedure involves the surgical repair of the enlarged veins using a microscope. It is a safe and well-tolerated surgery for the patients.

The advantages or benefits of Microsurgery over other surgeries:

• With the help of a microscope, the Urologist finds the veins that need to be removed during varicocelectomy procedure while preserving the small arteries that bring blood to the testicles.
• Magnification also helps the surgeon identifying and preserving the vessels (called lymphocytes) that drain fluid around the testicles and resulting in better clinical outcome.
• This is important for preventing swelling due to hydrocele around the testicles after surgery.
• It is carried out in general anesthesia.
• Length of stay in hospital is one day.

RECOVERY AFTER SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR VARICOCELE:

• Healing after surgery is fast
• The patient can return back to his work one or two days after the surgery.
• A followup with the Urologist is suggested after a week of surgery.
• It is suggested to do semen analysis after 3 to 4 months of varicocele surgery when the new sperm develop.

WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE AFTER VARICOCELE SURGERY?

Semen quality improves in about 60% of Men undergoing varicocele surgery.

The success rate depends upon the expertise of the Urologist and the equipment he uses in the operation theatre including a microscope.

Microsurgical varicocelectomy should be considered along with the other fertility treatment options.

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