Varicoceles in adolescents and young adults after surgery for hepatosplenic schistosomiasis

INTRODUCTION: This case-control study aimed at evaluating testicular volume, pubertal and genital development, and incidence of varicoceles in adolescents and young adults after surgery for hepatosplenic schistosomiasis associated with bleeding oesophageal varices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 26 young males with schistosomiasis who were submitted to splenectomy, left gastric vein ligature, and auto-implantation of splenic tissue in the major omentum during childhood. The mean follow-up period was 4 years after surgery. The control group included 15 healthy volunteers from a school in the same region where the cases lived. They were randomly selected, matched by age and epidemiological characteristics, and had schistosomiasis ruled out. All participants underwent thorough clinical and ultrasound examinations. Special attention was paid to sexual characteristics, testicular ultrasonography, and Doppler flowmetry of spermatic veins. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The patients with schistosomiasis had significant deficits in pubertal and genital development and in testicular volume, especially the left one, and a high incidence of varicoceles (61.5%) without a straight association with testicular atrophy.