Prognosis of varicocelectomy in the treatment of infertility, based on pre-surgery characteristics.
The semen characteristics, before and after varicocelectomy, were studied in 220 husbands from infertile couples, whose wives had no significant abnormalities. All couples were followed for one year or until the wife became pregnant. Sperm density, vitality, motility and percent with normal morphology were analysed before surgery. Based on these results, subjects were divided into 2 groups according to whether their semen had normal or abnormal characteristics. The group with semen had normal or abnormal characteristics. The group with semen parameters within normal limits showed significantly less improvement after surgery, and the posttreatment pregnancy rate was independent of the effect of surgery on the characteristics of sperm. Between 71 and 84% of the subjects with abnormal semen characteristics showed improvement after surgery, and between 56 and 72% of those who improved, impregnated their wives. Subjects whose abnormal semen characteristics did not improve after surgery, had a very low pregnancy rate.
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*