Varicocele - One of the leading causes of infertility in men

1. Varicocele one of the leading causes of infertility in men Dr. Sonu Balhara IVF Specialist, India https://www.drsonubalhara.in

2. aricocele, one of the leading causes of infertility in men, is known to be a life style disease which develops over the course of time. V There are many surgical and non-surgical treatments available for the issue. Varicocele – One of the Causes of Infertility in Men Male's testicles are covered inside a scrotum, which is a sac like structure. This also contains arteries and veins that supply blood for the sex organs. Sometimes abnormal enlargement occurs in the veins; this condition is known as Varicocele. It is a widespread disease that can be found in 15% of the total male population. This usually starts developing in puberty and most of the time the targets left side of the scrotum. These can also occur on both sides, but it is rare. Not all types of the Varicoceles affect the production of sperms.

3. How does Varicocele develop? Veins are mainly responsible for taking the blood towards the heart for purification. In veins, there are some valves which prevent the blood to come back. Because of our lifestyle and habits, there is some imbalance in the Ph of the cell, and the valves start developing some problems. This leads to the accumulation of the blood in veins which give rise to Varicoceles. Symptoms of Varicocele In many cases, we do not see any symptoms of the disease. But some symptoms may be the sign of Varicoceles. These symptoms are: Lump on one side of testicles Swelling in the scrotum Visible enlarged and twisted vein Recurring pain in testicles Varicoceles are present in the 35 % men with primary infertility and 80% in the men with secondary infertility. Detection of Varicocele and Classification It can be detected by: Physical examination of the testicles while the man is standing up and lying down. Scrotal ultrasound Angiography CT scan / MRI scan This cause of infertility is classified into three grades: Grade I - In this, the dysfunctional veins are not visible. It is only evident during or after physical exam while the male performs Valsalva maneuver (a breathing exercise used as a diagnostic tool.) Grade II - It is not visible but can be felt on the physical examination even without Valsalva maneuver. Grade III - It can be identified through scrotum without any physical examination.

4. When do you need to treat it? One would require seeking treatment for one of the leading causes of infertility men: when: it is painful it is causing testicular atrophy It is causing issues with testicular functioning it is the cause of infertility you want to go for ART (Assisted Reproductive Techniques) increase low testosterone levels Surgical Treatments available for the treatment Varicocelectomy: It is a procedure in which the specialist go through the abdomen to clamp the abnormal veins so that blood can flow around the abnormal vein to the normal ones. Varicocele Embolization: It is a less invasive method as opposed to Varicocelectomy. In this procedure, a catheter is put into the neck vein or groin, and then a coil is placed through the catheter into the varicocele to block the blood from entering the abnormal veins. Varicocelectomy has been found to be the cost-efficient, and the rate of success in pregnancy after the Varicocelectomy are found to be 36% (this value varied with the quality of semen.)

5. Selection of the Clinic for the Treatment Selection of a good clinic can impact the success of the treatment of one of the causes of infertility i.e. the Varicoceles. Here are some suggestions that you should consider if you are going to treat the cause of the fertility issue. The clinic should: have reliable doctor which means minimal risk of failure have an operative versatility be consistent with cost-containment (cost-effective) can perform with minimal morbidity and complications have a uniform success rate