varicocele
Sign in to saveA varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of the pampiniform venous plexus in the scrotum. In males, this plexus of veins drains blood from the testicles back to the heart. The vessels originate in the abdomen and course down through the inguinal canal as part of the spermatic cord on their way to the testis.
Key facts
- Medical condition (new).name
- Varicocele
- Medical condition (new).image
- Photo légendé d'une Varicocèle.jpg
- Medical condition (new).caption
- Varicocele on the left side. Notice the swelling of the scrotum due to enlarged veins (arrow), while the left testicle itself may be smaller (atrophied) than the right.
- Medical condition (new).field
- Urology, Andrology, Interventional radiology
- Medical condition (new).symptoms
- Scrotal swelling, dull ache, feeling of heaviness, visible "bag of worms"
- Medical condition (new).complications
- Infertility, testicular atrophy, low testosterone
- Medical condition (new).onset
- Puberty or young adulthood
- Medical condition (new).duration
- Chronic (progressive)
- Medical condition (new).causes
- Valvular incompetence, Nutcracker syndrome
- Medical condition (new).diagnosis
- Physical examination (Valsalva), Scrotal ultrasound
- Medical condition (new).differential
- Hydrocele, spermatocele, epididymitis
- Medical condition (new).treatment
- Observation, Varicocelectomy (microsurgical), Percutaneous embolization
- Medical condition (new).medication
- NSAIDs (for pain management)
- Medical condition (new).frequency
- 15% of adult males
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
18 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Fertility and hormonal function
- Testicular atrophy and growth arrest
- Cause
- Pathophysiology
- Fertility
- Hormonal function
- Diagnosis
- Clinical classification
- Ultrasound classification
- Imaging criteria
- Treatment
- Surgery (Varicocelectomy)
- Percutaneous embolization
- Prognosis
- Epidemiology
- See also
- References
A varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of the pampiniform venous plexus in the scrotum. In males, this plexus of veins drains blood from the testicles back to the heart. The vessels originate in the abdomen and course down through the inguinal canal as part of the spermatic cord on their way to the testis.
Many varicoceles are asymptomatic, but some cause a dull ache or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum. Varicoceles are the most common correctable cause of male infertility, found in approximately 35–44% of men with primary infertility. They are also increasingly recognized as a cause of reduced testicular endocrine function, including lower testosterone levels (hypogonadism). Varicoceles occur in around 15% of all men.