In a nutshell
This study examined whether the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines can effectively identify patients who will benefit from surgery to repair varicocele.
Some background
Infertility, or the inability to conceive, affects 5-15% of couples worldwide. Swelling of the veins within the testes, known as varicocele, is a common cause of infertility in men. It is easily treated and surgical removal of the vein is known to improve the quality of semen and increase pregnancy rates. In 2010, the WHO announced new guidelines for diagnosing infertility. However, few studies have looked at the effect of the new guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of infertile men.
Methods & findings
The bottom line
The authors conclude that a large improvement in semen parameters can be found in patients whose semen results are normal according to the current guidelines, but would have been abnormal according to the previous guidelines. Therefore, under the new guidelines many men may be refused potentially beneficial varicocele repair surgery.
The fine print
While sperm quality was improved, pregnancy rates after surgery were not studied.
What’s next?
Published By :
Urology
Date :
Apr 01, 2015
