Varicoceles: postoperative prevalence--a prospective study with color Doppler US.
To define the ultrasound (US) prevalence of varicoceles after surgical repair, 28 postoperative patients underwent color Doppler US. A group of 26 control subjects also underwent color Doppler US to establish the prevalence of varicoceles in the healthy population. Eighteen of 28 (64%) patients who underwent color Doppler US scanning 16.4 months, on average, after varicocele repair had evidence of a varicocele, a number similar to that reported in other series for infertile men before surgery. Dominant veins in the postoperative patients were larger (P < .01) than those in the control subjects. Postoperative improvements in sperm parameters and conception rate in our subjects were 58% and 43%, respectively, consistent with findings reported in the literature. The prevalence of varicoceles detected at color Doppler US in our healthy population was 42% (11 of 26). Physical examination after surgery failed to show a varicocele in 20 of 22 (91%) patients examined. The discrepancy between sperm parameters and the results of color Doppler US and physical examination raises questions about the utility of US as a means of evaluation in the postvaricocelectomy patient.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence 02903.
O A
OA
Cvitanic
J J
JJ
Cronan
M
M
Sigman
S T
ST
Landau
D000328:Adult; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012611:Scrotum / Q000098:blood supply; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D014680:Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging