Significance of subclinical varicocele detected by scrotal sonography in male infertility: a preliminary report.
To assess the clinical significance of subclinical right varicocele, we used scrotal sonography for a prospective study of 68 infertile patients with a clinical left varicocele. A significant difference was found in the improvement in postoperative semen characteristics between sonographically diagnosed bilateral and unilateral groups. We conclude that a subclinical right varicocele is also detrimental for spermatogenesis in patients with a clinical left varicocele.
Department of Urology, Osaka-Central Hospital, Japan.
N
N
Kondoh
N
N
Meguro
K
K
Matsumiya
M
M
Namiki
H
H
Kiyohara
A
A
Okuyama
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery