title: Surgery is inadvisable: massive varicocele due to portal hypertension.
abstract: The pathophysiology of idiopathic varicoceles as a dilatation of the pampiniform venous plexus has been traced to anatomical and embryological development, but is still unclear. Right or non-decompressible lesions are worrisome for retroperitoneal pathology, such as renal cell carcinoma, hydronephrosis, abdominal neoplasm or fibrosis. As a very rare finding we describe a patient who presented with an exorbitant left sided varicocele due to portal hypertension. We were well advised to avoid surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St. Hedwig Hospital, Teaching Hospital of University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany. hschultebaukloh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulte-Baukloh
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kämmer
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Felfe
authors.forename: Burkard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stürzebecher
authors.forename: Helmut H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Knispel
mesh_terms: D000075202:Contraindications; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014646:Varicocele / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures