Varicocele

Also known as "scrotum varicose veins", varicocele is an enlargement of veins in the scrotum. Varicocele may not present with symptoms but it can cause pain, low sperm production and decreased sperm quality, leading to infertility. Varicocele may also cause abnormal scrotum growth or cause them to shrink.

If symptoms are not present, treatment is not always necessary but patients with symptoms can get treatment with or without surgery.

Treatment with open surgery requires cutting the scrotum open to tie off the enlarged veins to cut off blood flow. This can be uncomfortable for the patient and the patient needs two to three weeks to recovery.

Treatment : Varicocele Embolization

However, our doctors are able to perform minimally-invasive procedure called Varicocele Embolization. Varicocele Embolization only requires a small puncture in your arm, neck or groin, and using ultrasound guidance, catheters are guided to the testicular vein. They then use coils, chemicals or medical glue to block the blood flow in the vein.

Recovery time for Varicocele Embolization is two to three days compared to two to three weeks for open surgery. Complications like fluid buildup has also been seen after surgery but not embolization. Also, if the condition is present on both scrotums, open surgery requires two open incisions while embolization can be done with just one.