Subject Summary: As a result of varicose veins in the testicle, they cannot fulfill their duties and dirty blood cannot move away from the testicle. varicocele occurs. The disorder, which is similar to varicose veins seen in the legs, is generally seen in young men.
This disease is one of the most common and correctable causes of male infertility. Varicocele symptoms çeşitli semptomlar ile ortaya çıkar. Genellikle erişkin erkeklerin %20’sinde görülmektedir. İlerleyici bir rahatsızlık olmakla birlikte testis gelişiminde gerilemeye; sperm yapımını bozarak çocuk sahibi olamamaya neden olur.
What is Varicocele?
Varicocele, an extremely common disease, is a condition in which the scrotum, which is the loose skin bag that protects the testicles in men, swells, enlarges and enlarges. It is mostly seen in the left testicle, in the upper part of the testicles. It may not be visible while lying down, but it becomes visible while standing. The mass can also be felt when the area is touched with a finger. It is possible to have the disease in 10 to 15 percent of men.
With 20 Years of Experience in the Field of Urology, Op. Dr. Serhat Dönmezer Explained His Varicocele Disease
Op., who has carried out many successful operations from past to present. Dr. Serhat Dönmezer provides services in the field of urology. Kiss. Dr. Serhat Dönmezer; prostate cancer, prostate enlargement, prostatitis, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, kidney ureteral stone, testicular cancer, urethral stenosis, sexual reluctance, penis curvature, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, undescended testicle, varicocelehas performed many successful operations in the treatment of diseases such as hydrocele and infertility.
Enlargement of the veins around the testicle in a man with a damaged valve system varicocele It is defined as . It is known as a progressive disease. Today, microsurgery is used in the treatment of the disease. In order to start treatment early and achieve successful results, the patient must consult a physician specialized in urology if he notices the symptoms.
varicocele Why Does It Happen?
It is not known exactly why the disease occurs. Although it is not clear to physicians exactly why the disease occurs, it is thought to be caused by a defect in the valve structures in the veins that carry blood to and from the testicles. Although the disease that occurs in adults during adolescence is mostly seen on the left side, in some cases, double varicocele may occur on both the left and right sides.
What are the symptoms of varicocele?
The disease is very easy to recognize clinically. symptoms, visible to the eye. The most common symptom of the disease is the appearance of vascular enlargement on the testicle. In addition, symptoms such as swelling, swelling, and pain in the testicle are among the symptoms of the disease. It is important to recognize the symptoms early in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Varicocele symptoms The swelling and swelling between the veins occur as a result of the expansion of the veins. The enlargement of the veins gradually becomes visible to the naked eye and takes on a shape resembling varicose veins seen in the legs. Additionally, symptoms of the disease may include sweating and feeling hot. Shrinkage of the testicles is rarely observed in some patients.
How is the disease diagnosed?
In order to diagnose the disease, an examination is first performed by the physician. When the doctor touches the testicle with a finger examination, if the mass is large enough, the doctor can easily feel the mass. In cases where the mass is not large enough, the patient is stood up and the testicle is touched with a finger examination.
In cases where physical examination is not sufficient to diagnose the disease, an ultrasound test on the scrotum may be requested by a specialist physician. During the ultrasound test performed on the patient, sound waves are used to take photographs of the internal parts of the body. Ultrasound testing is used to determine how treatment should be carried out, especially in young patients.
What are the degrees of varicocele?
In diagnosing varicocele, the disease is divided into 3 degrees according to the physical examination performed on the patient. These degrees are as follows;
- Grade: It is the mildest degree of the disease. During the physician's manual examination, the patient is examined while standing and can only be felt through maneuvers such as coughing/straining.
- Grade: It can be detected during manual examination without the need to increase the patient's intra-abdominal pressure during an outpatient examination.
- Grade: It is the most severe degree of the disease. At this degree, varicose veins are visible during standing examination.
What are Varicocele Treatment Methods?
Not every man with this disease may need to be treated with surgery. varicocele treatment It generally causes improvement in sperm quality. Today, microsurgery is used in the treatment of the disease. In the surgery, the aim is to reach the testicular veins through an incision of approximately 2-3 cm in the groin area and to close the diseased veins by tying them. Laparoscopic, Robotic and Radiological Embolization methods, which were previously used in treatment, cannot achieve the desired results, so these surgical methods are not applied today.
Mikro cerrahi tekniği sayesinde hastalığın tekrar etme ihtimali %1’dir. Diğer ameliyat yöntemlerinde ise hastalığın tekrar etme olasılığı oldukça yüksektir. Ameliyat mikroskobu kullanılarak yapılan mikro cerrahi yönteminde genel anestezi ya da bölgesel anestezi ile yapılabilir. Ayrıca tedavi de uygulanan mikro cerrahi yönteminde 1. yılda gebelik oranı %43 iken 2. yılda %60’lara varabilmektedir.
Which Patients Can Benefit from Treatment?
Varicocele treatment is performed with the approval of a specialist urologist. It is not a situation that is needed for everyone. Patients who want to benefit from the treatment can be listed as follows;
- Men with varicocele in couples who cannot have children,
- Patients showing abnormal findings in the sperm analysis applied to the patient,
- Patients who have had children before but cannot have children now and are diagnosed with
- Since it is a progressive disease, single patients with 2nd and 3rd degree, that is, high grade,
- Varicocele patients whose pain does not go away with other treatments can also benefit from surgery.
What Should the Patient Pay Attention to After the Surgery?
After surgery, patients can return to their daily work after 1 day of rest. However, patients are allowed to have sexual life after 1-2 weeks, and to heavy work and sports activities after 2-4 weeks. After the treatment process, the patient should be examined by the physician at regular intervals and the cases should be monitored regularly.
Adolescent patients should have routine examinations and examinations once a year. Adult patients should be examined by a specialist urologist every 3 months until they have children. Even if it is not possible to have children after surgery, reproductive treatment methods such as vaccination or in vitro fertilization are beneficial to patients.
How to Relieve Varicocele Pain?
If the patient has a varicocele that causes minor discomfort but does not affect her fertility, painkillers recommended by the doctor can be used to relieve the patient's pain. varicocele Pain can be felt in a variety of ranges, from mild discomforting pains in the groin area to severe and sharp pains.
In some cases, the pain may radiate to the leg on the same side. The pain may be relieved by the painkillers the patient takes, but the pain may recur when the effect of the medication wears off. In order to relieve the patient's pain, wearing tight underwear or an athletic belt to reduce blood pressure and prevent the expansion of the veins can help eliminate pain or discomfort in some cases by creating an effect similar to compression socks. varicocele The pain may be felt more clearly after standing for a long time, walking, exercising, and sexual activity.
In Whom Is Varicocele More Common?
The exact cause of the disease is not known, but there are some risk factors that affect the occurrence of the disease. The disease may occur more frequently in people with these risk factors. Among the risk groups that affect the occurrence of the disease:
- fat people,
- People who do sports with high weight and increase the pressure on the abdomen,
- People with chronic asthma and chronic cough attacks,
- People with chronic constipation,
- It is more common in people working in professions that require standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions frequently asked by patients and their relatives regarding varicocele:
Can a man with varicocele have a child?
If varicocele is not operated on, it reduces the chance of having children. The disease causes pain in the testicle and may lead to testicular shrinkage or even loss of testicle. Therefore, if the patient meets the necessary conditions for surgery, he should be treated.
Does Varicocele Affect Sexual Life?
A disease that generally affects sperm functions impairs the sperm functions of the testicle along with vasodilatation in this area. Advanced vascular dilatations in this area may cause pain and decrease in the quality of intercourse.
Is Everyone With Varicocele Infertile?
Considered as one of the reproductive problems varicocele disease is not always the cause of infertility. However, it ranks first among the treatable causes of infertility. Thanks to surgery, the infertility problem is mostly eliminated. However, surgery is not performed on every patient with varicocele. It is not considered a disease that requires urgent surgery. Although it is a disease that can cause permanent damage, not everyone with this disease is infertile.
Is Varicocele Congenital?
The disease may occur as a congenital vascular anomaly caused by the expansion of the collecting vessels surrounding the testicle. It is a disease that usually occurs during adolescence and progresses insidiously.
Does Varicocele Recur?
In surgeries performed using the microsurgery method, the likelihood of the disease recurring is close to zero. However, in surgeries performed without the use of a microscope, the chance of recurrence is high as small vessels can be missed. In addition, since the complication rates are high in these surgeries, microsurgical method is used.
How Commonly Is It Seen in Men?
Hastalık testislerin kirli kanını götüren toplardamarların varis şeklinde genişlemesi ve uzaması olarak ortaya çıkar. Genellikle %90 oranında ergenlik döneminde sol testiste görülür. Erkeklerde kısırlığın en önemli nedenlerinden biri olarak bilinmektedir. Hastalığın görülme sıklığı toplumda %15-25 olup 20-35 yaşları grubunda daha sık rastlanır.
What are the risks of surgery?
The surgery aims to compress or close the affected vein to direct blood flow to normal vessels. Complications that may occur in surgery, which has very low risks; Accumulation of fluid around the testicles is known as hydrocele formation, recurrence of the disease, infection and vein damage.
How Long Does Varicocele Surgery Take?
Since the surgery is performed using the microsurgical method, all vessels in that area must be ligated. The surgery takes approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour, and patients are discharged the next day after the surgery.
What Happens If the Disease Is Not Treated?
Varicocele, which is a chronic disease, does not resolve on its own. If the disease is not treated, the disease may progress and results such as enlargement in size, decrease in testicular size, and gradual decrease in sperm parameters may occur. For this reason, if the patient has complaints, he/she must consult a health institution.
Op., who has more than 20 years of experience in the field of urology. Dr. From Serhat Dönmezer varicocele You can contact us to get detailed information about your disease and discuss the topics you are curious about.
