The evolution and refinements of varicocele surgery

Varicoceles had been recognized in clinical practice for over a century. Originally, these procedures were utilized for the management of pain but, since 1952, the repairs had been mostly for the treatment of male infertility. However, the diagnosis and treatment of varicoceles were controversial, because the pathophysiology was not clear, the entry criteria of the studies varied among centers, and there were few randomized clinical trials. Nevertheless, clinicians continued developing techniques for the correction of varicoceles, basic scientists continued investigations on the pathophysiology of varicoceles, and new outcome data from prospective randomized trials have appeared in the world''s literature. Therefore, this special edition of the Asian Journal of Andrology was proposed to report much of the new information related to varicoceles and, as a specific part of this project, the present article was developed as a comprehensive review of the evolution and refinements of the corrective procedures.     

三种不同术式治疗精索静脉曲张的疗效对比分析

目的比较分析三种不同手术方式治疗精索静脉曲张（VC）的疗效。方法选择1 000例初发的单侧VC患者分别采用开放经腹膜后精索内静脉高位结扎术（腹膜后组,n=360）、经腹股沟超选择性精索内静脉结扎术（腹股沟组,n=324）及经腹腔镜精索内静脉高位结扎术（腹腔镜组,n=316）治疗,分析各组手术操作要点,并对各组手术并发症进行比较。结果三种术式术后附睾炎、阴囊水肿、睾丸鞘膜积液发生例数分别为腹膜后组22例、15例和28例;腹股沟组54例、40例和57例;腹腔镜组32例、23例和32例。腹膜后组和腹腔镜组术后附睾炎、阴囊水肿、睾丸鞘膜积液及腹股沟区疼痛的发生率明显低于腹股沟组（P〈0.05）。结论开放经腹膜后精索内静脉高位结扎术及经腹腔镜精索内静脉高位结扎术具有术后恢复快、并发症较少的优点。由于腹腔镜手术费用明显较高,对术者操作有更高的要求,麻醉要求更高,所以经腹膜后精索内静脉高位结扎术治疗VC具有独特的优势,值得推广。     

Varicocele surgery: a decade’s experience at a children’s hospital

OBJECTIVES

To review our experience at a children’s hospital over a 10‐year period with the Palomo, Ivanissevich, subinguinal and laparoscopic techniques for varicocele, assessing the success and complication rates according to specific procedure, and the added effect that the modifications of microsurgery and artery‐sparing has had on these rates. A second objective was to assess the rate of testicular compensatory growth after surgery for testicular hypotrophy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ninety‐two patients with >1 year of follow‐up between 1996 and 2006 were assessed retrospectively. The median (range) age at surgery was 15 (8–21) years. Patients were stratified based on the surgical technique used by eight different urology faculty members. Microsurgery and attempted artery‐sparing were applied to some Palomo, Ivannisevich, and subinguinal cases but not to laparoscopic procedures.

RESULTS

The laparoscopic (100%) and Palomo (93%) techniques had significantly higher success rates than the Ivanissevich approach (69%). The success rate with the subinguinal technique (88%) was intermediate between the more successful supra‐inguinal and less successful inguinal approaches. There was a higher hydrocele rate (32%) in the laparoscopic approach. Artery sparing significantly lowered hydrocele rates but had no effect on success rates. Incorporating microsurgery also had no effect on success rates but resulted in no hydrocele formation. One case of testicular atrophy occurred in a patient undergoing microsurgical artery‐sparing subinguinal spermatic vein ligation. There was compensatory growth in 68% of patients operated on for testicular hypotrophy.

CONCLUSIONS

During our 10‐year experience the laparoscopic and Palomo approaches were the most successful. The subinguinal approach (usually incorporating microsurgery and artery sparing) had an intermediate success rate. The Ivanissevich approach was least successful. Hydroceles did not occur when microsurgery was used, and were significantly less common with artery sparing. The only case of testicular atrophy was with a microsurgical artery‐sparing subinguinal approach. When the spermatic vein was ligated for testicular hypotrophy there was compensatory growth in two‐thirds of testes.     

A network meta-analysis protocol of efficacy and safety evaluation of different surgery regimens for varicocele patients with infertility: A study protocol

Background:Surgical treatment of varicocele is still one of the most common important treatments for male infertility. Surgery regimens for varicocele (VC) is various, including high ligation, sub-inguinal, inguinal, retroperitoneal, laparoscopic, and microsurgery. The surgery regimens applied for VC patients are various in clinic, however, the significance, advantages, and disadvantages of different varicocelectomies for male infertility are still in controversial. Therefore, this network meta-analysis is mainly to assess the relative efficacy and safety of different surgery regimens for VC patients with infertility.Methods:To compare the relative efficacy and safety among different varicocelectomies for VC patients, we systematic searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs were in five electronic databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, EMBASE database, Clinical Trials, and Cochrane Library. Using R-3.4.1 software to process and analyze data. The bias risk of RCTs and non-RCTs will be evaluated through the tool of Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0 and non-randomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I), respectively.Results and conclusion:The result of this network meta-analysis aim is to evaluate the relative effectiveness and safety and rank the interventions among all surgery methods for VC patients and provide more evidence-based guidance in clinical practice.Protocol registration number:CRD42020162051.     

睾丸微石症合并精索静脉曲张36例分析

目的:探讨睾丸微石症合并精索静脉曲张患者的临床诊治方法,提高患者的睾丸储备功能。方法:回顾性报告并分析2011年3月至2013年2月36例睾丸微石症合并精索静脉曲张患者的病历资料,其中弱精症30例,精液质量正常6例。所有弱精症患者均行MV手术治疗,精液正常患者中1例CTM合并Ⅲ°VC有临床表现者行MV手术治疗,其余5例无临床表现患者无特殊处理;所有患者均每半年复查1次,彩色多普勒超声检查睾丸微石程度,精液CASA检查患者精液质量。结果:30例接受手术的弱精症患者有29例术后精液质量(精液密度,A+B级活动精子率,精子畸形率)明显改善,1例CTM患者精液质量及睾丸微石程度与手术前比较均无明显变化,且LTM患者的改善情况明显优于CTM患者,但所有患者的睾丸微石程度无明显变化;1例CTM合并Ⅲ°VC精液质量正常患者接受手术后精液质量及睾丸微石程度均无明显变化;1例CTM合并Ⅱ°VC和1例LTM合并Ⅲ°VC精液质量正常患者半年后精液出现异常,后接受MV手术治疗;2例LTM合并Ⅲ°VC精液质量正常患者2年后精液质量无变化,但其中1例睾丸微石程度加重,转为CTM;1例LTM合并Ⅰ°VC患者精液质量及睾丸微石程度无变化。结论:TM合并VC患者应该定期复查精液常规及泌尿生殖彩超,且MV手术对TM合并VC弱精症患者的精液质量有明显改善,LTM患者改善的程度明显优于CTM患者,对精液正常的患者可能会延缓精液质量恶化及睾丸微石程度加重。     

两种精索静脉结扎术对精液质量影响的研究

目的：探究显微镜与经腹膜后精索静脉高位结扎术对于精液质量的影响。方法：89例左侧精索静脉曲张患者,分别接受经腹膜后高位结扎术（开放组）和显微镜下精索静脉结扎术（显微镜组）治疗,随访时间为3个月。观察两组术前术后精液浓度、前向运动及血清抑制素B水平等指标。结果：患者平均年龄为（28±6）岁;平均病程为（14.3±16.7）月。两组术后精子浓度与前向运动均无统计学差异（P=0.839,0.169）,显微镜组血清抑制素B水平显著高于开放手术组（P=0.021）。结论：两种术式均能有效改善精液质量;对于血清抑制素B水平的改善,显微镜下精索静脉结扎术优于经腹膜后高位结扎术。     

Loupe-assisted versus microscopic varicocelectomy： s there an intraoperative anatomic difference？

The aim of this study was to compare the intraoperative difference in anatomic details between Ioupe-assisted and microscopic varicocelectomy within the same spermatic cord. Between April 2011 and August 2011, 26 men with 33 sides containing grade 2-3 varicocele were enrolled in this study. First, one surgeon performed the open inguinal varicocelectomy under x 3.5 Ioupe magnification. The presumed vascular channels and lymphatics were isolated and marked without ligation. Another surgeon then microsurgically dissected and checked the same spermatic cord using an operating microscope to judge the results in terms of the ligation of the internal spermatic veins and the preservation of the arteries and lymphatics. There were significant differences in the average number of internal spermatic arteries （1.51 vs 0.97）, internal spermatic veins （5.70 vs 4.39） and lymphatics （3.52 vs 1.61） between the microscope and Ioupe-assisted procedures （P 〈 0.001, P 〈 0.001, P 〈 0.001, respectively）. Meanwhile, in varicocele repair with Ioupe magnification, an average of 1.30 β± 1.07 （43/33） internal spermatic veins per side were missed, among the overlooked veins, 1.12 ± 0.93 （37/33） were adhered to the preserved testicular artery, as well as 0.55 ± 0.79 lymphatics and 0.36 ± 0.55 arteries that were to be ligated. In conclusion, microscopic varicocelectomy could preserve more internal spermatic arteries and lymphatics and could ligate more veins than the Ioupe-assisted procedure. To some degree, Ioupe magnification is inadequate for the reliable identification and dissection of the tiny vessels of the spermatic cord, as most of the overlooked veins were adhered to the preserved testicular artery.     

The significance of clinical practice guidelines on adult varicocele detection and management

Varicoceles are the most common correctable etiology of male factor infertility. However, the detection and management of varicoceles have not been standardized. This has led to decades of debate regarding the effect of varicocele on male infertility and subsequently whether repair leads to an improved fertility status. The current body of evidence investigating the role of varicocele and varicocelectomy is weak and conflicting. The stance taken by the AUA and ASRM suggests that there is insufficient outcomes data to support evidenced-based guidelines, citing evidence used to provide current recommendations are generally of a low quality level. On the other hand, the EAU Guidelines give a level 1a of evidence for management of varicoceles that are clinically palpable, associated with subnormal semen analyses and having otherwise unexplained fertility. Besides aiding with clinical varicocele detection and management, clinical practice opinion statements and guidelines aim to direct and strengthen the infrastructure of future studies. We review the current status of opinion statements and guidelines in varicocele and management detection with focus on their application in practice.