[Semen quality and sperm morphologic study of infertile men with varicocele].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the semen quality and the sperm morphology in infertile men with varicocele.


METHODS
Semen from 98 infertile men with varicocele were studied and those of 130 normal semen donors were taken as the control. Semen analysis was performed based on the methods described in the WHO manual and sperm morphology was evaluated by WHO criteria.


RESULTS
A significantly reduced percentage of normal morphologic sperm and of forward progression were found in patients with varicocele comparing with those of the control (P <0.001). The head defects were observed as the predominant type of sperm malformation.


CONCLUSIONS
The varicocele increases malformed sperm in ejaculates, which may result from impaired male fertility by varicocele. Sperm morphologic assessment with WHO criteria provides a sensitive and practical measurement of sperm damage in infertile men with varicocele.
Yue
Huan-xun
HX
Human Sperm Bank, Huaxi Second Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
Jiang
Min
M
Li
Fu-ping
FP
Lin
Li
L
Zhang
Si-xiao
SX
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012661:Semen; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*