Varicoceles are a relatively common condition that affects approximately 10% of men. The condition usually occurs in young men between the ages of 20 and 40. A Varicocele is a network of tangled blood vessels (varicose veins) in the scrotum. Some Varicoceles are harmless while others can cause pain, atrophy (shrinkage) and/or fertility problems.

Varicocele Embolization is an outpatient procedure that is performed under IV sedation. A small tube is inserted into the vein at the top of the leg or through a vein in the right side of the neck through a small needle hole. The tube is about the size of the lead in a pencil and the skin is numbed for the procedure so it is not painful. Next, a small catheter is painlessly guided up into the abdomen and into the varicocele vein under the guidance of x-ray imaging.

Dye is then injected into the catheter in order to create an x-ray map, or venogram, of the vein and tiny metal coils or other embolizing substances are inserted through the catheter to block the flow of blood to the vein.

Once the tube is removed, stitches are not needed. Patients are observed for a few hours but will return home the same day. Recovery typically takes less than 24 hours and most patients are able to return to work the next day.

Advantages of Varicocele Embolization

• It is as effective as surgery, as measured by improvement in semen analysis and pregnancy rates.
• It does not require any surgical incision in the scrotal area.
• A patient with varicoceles on both sides can have both fixed at the same time through one vein puncture site (surgery requires two separate open incisions).
• General anesthesia is not used for embolization (most surgery is done under general).
• There is a lower rate of complications compared to surgery. Infection has not been reported after embolization.
• It requires less recovery time. Post embolization patients are virtually never admitted to the hospital (in one study 24% of surgical patients needed hospital admissions, but no embolization patient did). Even patients with physically demanding jobs may return to work within the next day or two, unlike post surgical patients.

Minor complications such as bruising at the catheter site, nausea or minor back pain may occur, but are uncommon. Infection, hydrocele or testicle loss has NOT been reported after embolization.

Varicocele Embolization is also a highly effective way to treat recurrent Varicoceles after Varicocele surgery.