Objective To determine the prevalence and site of varicocele and varicocele-related testicular atrophy in children and adolescents. Patients and methods The study included 4052 boys aged of 2±19 years, divided into four age groups; the ®ndings of a physical examination, any testicular atrophy and testicular volume were recorded. Results Varicocele was detected in 293 (7.2%) of the 4052 boys; the prevalence was 0.79% in those aged 2±6 years, 0.96% at 7±10 years, 7.8% at 11±14 years and 14.1% at 15±19 years. The prevalence was 0.92% in 1232 children aged 2±10 years and 11.0% in 2531 adolescents aged 11±19 years (P<0.001). The prevalence increased signi®cantly at age 13 years (P<0.005). The varicocele was unilateral in 263 of the 293 (89.7%) boys with varicocele; of these, one (0.38%) was on the right and the others on the left side. Varicoceles were bilateral in 30 of 279 boys (10.8%) aged 11±19 years but none were detected in those aged <11 years. Varicocelerelated testicular atrophy was not present in those aged <11 years, but seven boys (7.3%) aged 11±14 years and 17 (9.3%) aged 15±19 years had testicular atrophy. The difference in prevalence between the last two age groups with atrophy was not signi®cant. Conclusion These ®ndings support the view that varicocele is a progressive disease and that the prevalence of varicocele and testicular atrophy increases with the puberty.

Testicular consistency achieved normal firmness after varicocelectomy in all boys with preoperative soft testis. While there was catch-up growth in comparison to the contralateral testis, testicular consistency improved but testicular volumes may not increase significantly after varicocele repair at ages older than 14 years. However, in these adolescents postoperative semen parameters and serum hormone values may significantly improve regardless of testicular volume. Therefore, boys with varicocele and their families should be fully informed in light of these findings.

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Proprioception of the bladder filling during cystometry is subjective. This data shows that sensations noticed by the patient during filling cystometry may be related to stimuli other than bladder filling.

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