title: Treatment of male varicoceles by transcatheter polidocanol foam sclerotherapy: evaluation of clinical success, complications, and patients' satisfaction with regard to alternative techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report our experience with polidocanol foam sclerotherapy with no additional coils, evaluating clinical success, patients' satisfaction, and complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study of 141 patients with 146 varicoceles (mean age: 29.3 years; range: 13 - 60 years) who underwent foam sclerotherapy with polidocanol 2% (range: 2 - 12 ml) in an outpatient setting between January 2007 and December 2013. For the follow-up, telephone interviews with the patients were conducted (mean follow-up time: 46.4 months, standard deviation: 20.17 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical success rate was 91.8%. There was a 55.8% response rate to the telephone interviews. Follow-up revealed a clinical success rate of 83.9% and a persistence or relapse rate of 16.1%. Of the patients, 81.9% were absolutely satisfied with the outcome. In 94.9% of cases, pain or discomfort resolution was reported, and in 97% of cases, aesthetic issues were no longer a problem. Of partners, 63.2% achieved pregnancy, and in 50% of patients with preprocedural testicular atrophy, catch-up growth was observed. One patient with pampiniform plexus phlebitis received inpatient treatment with no long-term damage recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polidocanol foam varicocele sclerotherapy is a safe and effective procedure, with a high rate of patients' satisfaction, clinical and technical success, and considerable catch-up growth and pregnancy achievement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Varicocele treatment using polidocanol foam sclerotherapy is a safe and effective procedure. • It is easily feasible in an outpatient setting. • The clinical and technical success rates are high. • It shows a high rate of patients' satisfaction and symptom resolution. • Postinterventional catch-up growth and pregnancy achievement are considerable.
authors: Institute for Clinical Radiology, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Nussbaumstr. 20, 80336, Munich, Germany, alma_ali91@yahoo.com.
authors: Alma
authors: A
authors: Ali
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Wirth
authors: Karla Maria
authors: KM
authors: Treitl
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Treitl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D000077423:Polidocanol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014646:Varicocele / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; D000077423:Polidocanol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols