Ipsilateral Testicular Catch-Up Growth Rate Following Microsurgical Inguinal Adolescent Varicocelectomy

Abstract EN

Objective.

To evaluate the ipsilateral catch-up growth rates compared to contralateral testicular growth in adolescents with varicocele undergoing microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy.

Materials and Methods.

Between December 2005 and May 2007, 39 adolescent patients with grade 2-3 varicocele admitted to our clinic with complaints of pain and/or testicular asymmetry were operated.

Preoperative mean age was 14.5 ± 1.96 (9–17).

Testicular volumes were assessed with ultrasound every 3 months.

The available followup was 39 months.

Results.

In our series, mean testicular preoperative volumes were 9.07±3.19 mL for the right and 5.90±1.74 mL for the left.

Mean testicular volumes at the end of follow up were 13.97±3.42 mL for the right and 12.20±4.05 mL for the left.

The testicular catch-up growth approximately begins after the 9th month and significant catch-up occurred in the 12–24 months (P<0.05).

Conclusion.

Since testicular volume is the primary method of assessing testicular function in adolescents, testicular size can predict future fertility status significantly 9 months after surgical varicocele correction.