title: [Microanatomy of blood vessels in spermatic cords and its clinical implication].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSIV) and microsurgical high inguinal varicocelectomy (MHIV) are recommended for the treatment of varicocele, but they differ in technical complexity. This study aimed to determine the microanatomy of spermatic blood vessels in the two surgical approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recorded the numbers of spermatic veins, arteries and lymphatics in 80 cases of MSIV and 20 cases of MHIV. We also examined the spermatic cords from 10 adult male cadavers by histological staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The numbers of medium spermatic veins (2 -5 mm in diameter) were 1.80 +/- 0.83 and 3.98 +/- 1. 99 in MHIV and MSIV, respectively, with significant difference between the two groups (t = -7.536, P < 0.01), and the total numbers of spermatic veins were 6.40 +/- 1.67 and 9.01 +/- 2.70, also with significant difference between the two (t = -4.071, P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences between MHIV and MSIV in the numbers of small spermatic veins (diameter < or = 2 mm), large spermatic veins (diameter > or = 5 mm), arteries and lymphatics, nor in the numbers of spermatic veins and arteries of the cadavers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The total number of spermatic veins and the number of medium spermatic veins may be larger in MSIV than in MHIV, but the medium spermatic veins do not increase surgical difficulty, and MSIV is not more complicated than MHIV.
authors: Department of Urology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China.
authors: Xiao-Qiang
authors: XQ
authors: Wu
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Yang
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Wu
authors: Ze-Hai
authors: ZH
authors: Huang
authors: Cheng-Yong
authors: CY
authors: Lei
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Wei
authors: Xiang-Ming
authors: XM
authors: Mao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008846:Micromanipulation; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply*; D014646:Varicocele / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult