title: Improvements in Scrotal Thermoregulation in Patients with Varicoceles Treated by Using Traditional Korean Medicine: Two Case Reports.
abstract: A varicocele is a dilatation of the pampiniform venous plexus within the spermatic cord. The incidence of varicoceles is 15%, and it occurs in more than 40% of men in infertile couples. Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) has been used to treat male infertility in Korea. We present two cases of men with varicoceles diagnosed via physical examination and scrotal thermography. We treated these men for two months by using TKM techniques, which included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine. We used scrotal thermography to evaluate the varicoceles before and after TKM treatment. After TKM treatment, the scrotal thermoregulation of both patients improved. In Patient 1, the temperature difference between the left and the right pampiniform plexus (i.e., ΔTP) was 2.8°C before treatment. It decreased to 1.3°C after treatment. In addition, the temperature difference between the testicles (ΔTT) was 1.5°C before treatment; it decreased to 0.2°C after treatment. In Patient 2, the ΔTP was 1.5°C before treatment; it decreased to 0.2°C after treatment. This report is the first to show that TKM may be an option for treating patients with varicoceles, as determined by using a scrotal thermography evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Gynecology, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Korean Gynecology, Conmaul Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: studd@naver.com.
authors.forename: Junyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biofunctional Medicine and Diagnostics, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunho
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea. Electronic address: breeze@kiom.re.kr.
authors.forename: Ui Min
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Jerng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012611:Scrotum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D013817:Thermography; D014646:Varicocele / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: acupuncture; herbal medicine; scrotal thermography; traditional Korean medicine; varicocele