title: The effect of body mass index on the outcomes of varicocelectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is recognized as a potential contributor to male factor infertility. There are no studies to date to our knowledge that have examined the success of varicocelectomy in obese men. We determined if body mass index significantly affects the outcome of varicocelectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who underwent varicocelectomy from September 2003 to December 2009. Patients were placed into 3 groups based on body mass index, and categorized as normal weight (group 1-38 patients, body mass index 18.5 to 24.9), overweight (group 2-59 patients, body mass index 25 to 29.9) or obese (group 3-46 patients, body mass index 30 or greater). Significant improvement was defined as a greater than 50% increase in the total motile per ejaculate parameter on postoperative semen analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 143 patients were available for analysis. There were no significant differences among patients in the 3 groups except for body mass index. Significant improvement in total motile/ejaculate on semen analyses was 71.1% (group 1), 61.0% (group 2) and 58.7% (group 3). Pregnancy rates were 43.8% (group 1), 43.5% (group 2) and 46.3% (group 3). There were no significant differences in improvement in total motile per ejaculate (p = 0.21, p = 0.17) or pregnancy rate (p = 0.60, p = 0.51) between the normal body mass index group, and the overweight and obese groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Varicocelectomy for men with clinically palpable varicoceles has a significant chance of improving semen parameters and pregnancy rates regardless of preoperative body mass index. The outcomes of varicocelectomy in overweight and obese patients were similar to those of normal weight men. Therefore, varicocelectomy can be performed effectively and safely in overweight and obese men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Khanh N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: Jay I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Sandlow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*