Chronic constipation as a causative factor for development of varicocele in men: a prospective ultrasonographic study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the role of chronic constipation in the etiopathogenesis of varicocele in men.


METHODS
In this prospective study, group 1 included 25 male patients who had symptoms of chronic constipation for a mean duration +/- SD of 17.0 +/- 20.3 months (range, 3-96 months), and group 2 included 26 male subjects without any symptoms associated with constipation. All subjects were evaluated by both physical examination and scrotal ultrasonography. For the plexus pampiniformis (PP) veins, a mean diameter exceeding 2 mm and reflux for more than 1 second were accepted as suggestive findings for varicocele, as described previously.


RESULTS
Left varicocele was detected in 13 (52%) of the 25 patients in group 1 and in 5 (19%) of the 26 subjects in group 2 (P = .02). The mean diameters of the left PP veins were 2.58 +/- 0.97 mm (range, 1.2-4.3 mm) in group 1 and 1.71 +/- 0.53 mm (range, 1.0-3.0 mm) in group 2 (P < .001). A significant difference was detected between the two groups for varicocele prevalence and the mean diameter of the left PP veins.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic constipation is a significant causative factor for the development of left varicocele, which may be attributable to the accompanying distention of the sigmoid colon and distal part of the descending colon, with resultant compression of the left testicular vein in the retroperitoneum. Therefore, we propose routine ultrasonographic examinations for the possible development of varicocele in men with chronic constipation.
Turgut
Ahmet T
AT
Department of Radiology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ahmettuncayturgut@yahoo.com
Ozden
Eriz
E
Koşar
Pinar
P
Koşar
Uğur
U
Cakal
Başak
B
Karabulut
Ayhan
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012611:Scrotum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014646:Varicocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*