[Microsurgical varicocele operation: a retrospective statement of Danish results].
BACKGROUND
Varicoceles are present in about 15% of the male population. The treatment is surgical and internationally there has been an increase in the use of a subinguinal microsurgical approach in which the veins of the spermatic cord are ligated. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the results of the first microsurgical varicocelectomies performed in Denmark.


METHODS
The medical records of boys and men who underwent microsurgical varicocelectomy between 1 February 1999 and 1 June 2007 at Rigshospitalet, Gentofte Hospital and Herlev Hospital, were reviewed.


RESULTS
A total of 132 patients were included in the study. Ten recurrences (8%) and ten complications (8%) were found (one lesion of the vas deferens, six haematomas, two hydroceles and one patient with haematoma/infection). Following surgery, two patients underwent orchiectomy due to a lack of blood flow and sustained pain from the scrotum one year after the operation, respectively. When pain was the indication for surgery, resolution of this symptom was seen in 69 of 77 patients (90%). In one patient, the pain increased. After the implementation of a structured surgery schedule and after assigning the procedure to a single surgeon only, the number of recurrences and complications for the last 47 operated patients decreased to 0% and 4%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In trained hands microsurgical varicocelectomy was an effective method with few complications and recurrences.
Fode
Mikkel
M
Urologisk Afdeling, Herlev Hospital, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark.
Sønksen
Jens
J
Mikines
Kári J
KJ
Holm
Mette
M
Sommer
Peter
P
Kristensen
Jørgen Kvist
JK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003718:Denmark; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D013521:Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult