title: Is it worthwhile to operate on subclinical right varicocele in patients with grade II-III varicocele in the left testicle?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether repair of subclinical varicoceles in the right testicle results in significant seminal improvement in patients with clinical left varicocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (unilateral varicocelectomy) and Group II (bilateral varicocelectomy-subclinical left varicocele). The mean sperm concentration before treatment was higher in Group I (21.01 +/- 19.1) compared to Group II (5.7 +/- 10.7) (p = 0.04).
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increase in volume was detected in the left testicle of patients in Group I (17 +/- 7.9 vs. 22.81 +/- 8.2; p = 0.04) and in the right testicle of patients in Group II (18.4 +/- 6.2 vs. 22.3 +/- 6.5; p = 0.04). Although the mean postoperative sperm concentration in Group I increased slightly (25.7 +/- 22.8), the mean sperm concentration in Group II increased significantly (30.32 +/- 9.8; p = 0.03). Pregnancy rate was higher in Group II (66.7%) compared to Group I (33.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even a small, subclinical unrepaired varicocele continues to have a detrimental effect on bilateral testis function in a patient with grade II-III left varicocele.
authors.affiliation: University of Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fáibio Firmbach
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Pasqualotto
authors.forename: Antônio Marmo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lucon
authors.forename: Plínio Moreira
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: de Góes
authors.forename: Bernardo Passos
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Sobreiro
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallak
authors.forename: Eleonora Bedin
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Pasqualotto
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014646:Varicocele / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone