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Varicocele Surgery
Relevant information about Varicocele Surgery.
A variocele is an inflammation of the testicles of a man that is caused by the widening of the veins that area located along the cord that hold up the male organ. The variocele occurs when the valves inside the veins along the spermatic cord stop blood from passing properly. This is the main cause of the wideness of the veins. This is a process that can be compared to what happens in woman with varicose legs that appear in the legs. Varioceles develop slowly; they are more common in young men of 15 to 25 years old and appear often in the left side of the scrotum. Specialists have confirmed that varioceles can be one of the main causes of infertility. In older men, the sudden apparition of variocele can be a sign of having a kidney tumor, this happens more frequently in the left side.
The surgery will restore the normal function of the veins that are blocking the circulation of blood. Some of the symptoms that help detecting if a patient suffers from variocele are: pain that is felt in the area of the scrotum; a discomfort feeling of heaviness in the testicles; atrophy of the testicles; palpable or visible enlarged veins; finally one of the main symptoms is infertility, according to studies and tests, in 90% of cases of infertility, men suffer from varioceles.
The treatment of varioceles is performed by having a variocelectomy, which is a surgery that will heal this disorder. First of all, the patient will receive appropriate anesthesia, once the patient has been numbed, the surgeon will make an initial cut that will be located in the lower abdomen and he will tie off the abnormal vein. This will allow the blood to pass properly. After the surgery the patient will have to have a pack of ice on the affected area for the first 24 hours after the operation. There is another method, which is considered an alternative to the surgery that is called a variocele embolization. This method is performed by a surgeon that will make a small cut, a small hollow tube (named catheter) is placed into a vein in the groin. By using X-ray, the professional will move the tube into the variocele. A tiny coin will pass through the tubes into the variocele; the function of this coin is to guide the blood into the normal veins. Embolization is considered a minimally invasive treatment that brings many advantages compared to the classical methods. A minimally invasive treatment will guarantee the patient a shorter time of healing as well as less scar and less pain during the post surgery process.
Once the surgery has finished, the patient will be asked to have a pack of ice for at least 24 hours after the surgery. The function of the ice is to relief the pain and to decrease the inflammation. The patient will be able to resume his normal activities two or three days after the surgical procedure. It is not recommended to do physical activities at least for one month since the operation. Sexual intercourse will be resumed after two weeks from the operation, because it may affect the natural process of healing. If the patient feels an unusual discomfort or pain after the surgery, it is truly important to notify the doctor about the situation. He will be able to determine if the patient may need a prescript medication. The patient will have to arrange meetings with the doctor after the surgery has taken place, this meetings are essential because the professional will be able to examine and check if the post surgery process is going well and does not present any complication.
Among the possible complications we can find, atrophic testis and injury to the scrotal tissue. These are not common risks, because during the operation, the professionals are careful in the performance of the surgery. Another complication can be the formation of blood clots; this situation will be solved by visiting the doctor and following some indications that he will recommend, among them, it is probable that the professional will give prescript medication that will eliminate blood clots. An infection is a possible complication that appears in cases where the patient has not taken the correct indications given by the doctor. It is probable that the doctor will make a list of suggestions such as being careful with hygiene, taking antibiotics and having an ice pack that will decrease the inflammation and will prevent the swelling. The anesthesiologist will be in charge of choosing the appropriate anesthesia for the patient; he/she will have to consider the clinical history of the patient (allergies, important diseases, etc).
The surgery will improve the normal development of the life of the patient. He will not have to suffer from uncomfortable pain and aches. If the surgery is done during the adolescence, the patient has more possibilities of being fertile. Another benefit of the surgery is that it will improve the development of the sexual intercourse, because it is common that in patients who present this disorder, sexual intercourse becomes conflictive because of the pain.
According to statistics, in adult men the rate of fertility does not improve after a vasectomy. It is probable that the sperm count will improve, but it will not modify the pregnancy rate.
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