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Effect of varicocelectomy on patients with unobstructive azoospermia and severe oligospermia

  1. Tomomoto Ishikawa,
  2. Yutaka Kondo,
  3. Kohei Yamaguchi,
  4. Yuichi Sakamoto,
  5. Masato Fujisawa

Article first published online: 17 OCT 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2007.07279.x

Issue

BJU International

BJU International

Volume 101, Issue 2, pages 216–218, January 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ishikawa, T., Kondo, Y., Yamaguchi, K., Sakamoto, Y. and Fujisawa, M. (2008), Effect of varicocelectomy on patients with unobstructive azoospermia and severe oligospermia. BJU International, 101: 216–218. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2007.07279.x

Author Information

  1. Division of Urology, Department of Organs Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan

*Tomomoto Ishikawa, Division of Urology, Department of Organs Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650–0017 Japan. e-mail: iskwtmmt@med.kobe-u.ac.jp

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 OCT 2007
  2. Article first published online: 17 OCT 2007
  3. Accepted for publication 8 June 2007

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Keywords:

  • varicocele;
  • ligation;
  • azoospermia;
  • severe oligospermia;
  • spermatogenesis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the treatment outcome and benefits after varicocelectomy in men with unobstructive azoospermia (UOA) and severe oligospermia (SO).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records were retrospectively evaluated for six patients with UOA and 54 with SO who had microsurgical inguinal varicocele ligation (mean age 33.3 years, sd 5.3). Fifty-one (85%) had a unilateral left-sided procedure (five of six with UOA, 46 of 54 with SO), and nine (15%) had a bilateral procedure.

RESULTS

After ligation, spermatogenesis was induced in two of the six men with UOA; the mean (sd) sperm concentration increased from 2.3 (1.6) to 9.2 (12.6) million/mL (P < 0.001), but the sperm motility did not change significantly. Four (7%) of the 54 men with SO achieved paternity, with unassisted pregnancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Varicocelectomy resulted in the induction or enhancement of spermatogenesis for several men with UOA or SO; it seems to be a reasonable option in selected patients with UOA or SO.

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