| Varicocele | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Varicocele on the person's left testicle. Notice the swelling and slight enlargement of the left testicle, which is marked by an arrow. | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Urology |
| Symptoms | Enlargement, testicular pain[3] |
| Complications | Infertility[3] |
| Usual onset | Puberty[3] |
| Types | Grade 1 (small) to 3 (large)[3][4] |
| Risk factors | Family history, smoking[3][4] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on examination, ultrasound[3] |
| Differential diagnosis | Epididymitis, hydrocele, inguinal hernia, testicular tumor, spermatocele[4] |
| Treatment | None, surgery, embolization[3] |
| Frequency | 20%[3] |
A varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of the veins from a testicle.[3] It may result in one testicle appearing larger than the other and occasionally testicular pain.[3][4] The left side is more commonly affected, though both may be involved.[3][4] Complications may include infertility.[3]
The cause is usually unknown.[4] They run in families and occur more often in smokers.[3][4] The veins that drain the testicle play an important role in temperature regulation.[3] When they malfunction the testicle may overheat which may decrease sperm quality and testosterone levels.[3] Diagnosis is based on examination, and may be confirmed by ultrasound.[3] The may be classified as small, medium, and large.[4]
In mild cases no specific treatment is required.[3] In those with significant symptoms surgery or embolization may be an option.[3] Treatment improves pain about 80% of the time and fertility about 70% of the time.[3] A varicocele occurs in around 20% of all men; but 40% of those with infertility.[3][4] They often form during puberty and get larger with age.[3]
References edit
- ^ "Varicocele". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
- ^ "Varicocele". Oxford Dictionaries UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. n.d. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Sasson, Daniel C.; Kashanian, James A. (2 June 2020). "Varicoceles". JAMA. 323 (21): 2210–2210. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.0397. ISSN 0098-7484. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Leslie, Stephen W.; Sajjad, Hussain; Siref, Larry E. (2022). "Varicocele". StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2022.