Enlarged veins inside the scrotum cause dull aching, testicular swelling, and may impair fertility. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute treats varicocele with minimally invasive embolization that closes off the abnormal veins through a catheter without surgical incision.
Our physicians restore normal venous drainage using image-guided techniques that require only a small puncture at the wrist or groin.
A dull, aching discomfort in the affected testicle worsens with prolonged standing and physical exertion. The pain typically improves when lying down.
Dilated veins feel like a "bag of worms" above the testicle during physical examination. Varicoceles most commonly affect the left side due to the anatomy of the left testicular vein.
Long-standing varicoceles can cause the affected testicle to shrink. Reduced testicular volume correlates with impaired sperm production. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute evaluates testicular size as part of the varicocele workup.
Varicocele is the most common correctable cause of male infertility. Elevated scrotal temperature from pooled venous blood damages sperm motility, morphology, and count.
Varicoceles develop most often during puberty and affect roughly 15 percent of adult men. The left-sided predominance results from the perpendicular insertion angle of the left testicular vein into the renal vein.
Reference: Alsaikhan B, Alrabeeah K, Delouya G, Zini A. Epidemiology of varicocele. Asian J Androl. 2016;18(2):179-181.
Taller individuals and athletes who perform heavy lifting face modestly elevated risk due to increased hydrostatic venous pressure.
Varicocele Embolization threads a microcatheter through a vein in the wrist or groin to the testicular vein. Coils and sclerosant agents block the refluxing vein from the inside. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute performs varicocele embolization as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with same-day discharge.
Microsurgical varicocelectomy ties off the dilated veins through a small inguinal incision. Soris Pain & Vascular recommends embolization as a less invasive first-line option with equivalent success rates.
Small, asymptomatic varicoceles without fertility concerns may be monitored. Soris Pain & Vascular schedules periodic ultrasound to track vein diameter and testicular volume.
Related Conditions
Varicocele shares venous reflux pathology with chronic venous insufficiency and pelvic congestion syndrome. Soris Pain & Vascular Institute treats these conditions using similar catheter-based embolization techniques.
FAQ
Clinical studies show semen parameters improve in 60 to 80 percent of men after varicocele treatment. Soris Pain & Vascular coordinates with reproductive endocrinologists when fertility is the primary concern.
Reference: Belczak SQ, Stefaniak V, Góes LG, et al. Improvement of semen parameters after coil embolization of varicoceles: a systematic review. J Vasc Bras. 2021;20:e20200137.
The procedure takes 45 to 90 minutes. Most patients at Soris Pain & Vascular go home within two hours and return to desk work the next day.
Local anesthesia numbs the catheter insertion site. Patients may feel mild warmth or pressure during the procedure. Soris Pain & Vascular reports that most patients describe the discomfort as minimal.
Board-certified physicians bringing hospital-level, minimally invasive interventional procedures to outpatient centers.
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