ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Varicocele is an abnormal dilatation of the veins of the pampiniform plexus. The incidence of varicocele is 25.4% in men with abnormal semen parameters and 11.7% in men with normal semen parameters (1). Varicocele can be an incidental finding on physical exam, or can manifest as infertility or scrotal pain. In our series of 1099 patients, varicoceles were palpable in 35% of men with primary infertility and in 81% of men with secondary infertility (2). Similar findings were reported by Witt and Lipshultz (3), which strongly suggest that the varicocele is associated with progressive, duration-dependent impairment of testicular function.
