Progressive Testicular Atrophy in the Varicocele Patient

Abstract

We examined 82 healthy volunteers, 61 subfertile men with varicoceles and 27 subfertile men without varicoceles for testicular size and semen quality. In 13 volunteers we found unsuspected varioceles and a left testicle significantly smaller than the other 69 volunteers. The size of the right testicle and the sperm density in these patient groups were similar. Both testicles of subfertile male subjects with varicoceles were significantly smaller than the testicles of subfertile male subjects without varicoceles. However, the sperm densities of these 2 groups were similar. Finally, although subfertile male subjects with varicoceles had obviously statistically lower sperm densities than volunteers with varicoceles, the testicular sizes were similar. Perhaps varicocele ligations should be performed on all male subjects with this lesion at an early age to prevent progressive testicular atrophy and decreased fertility potential.

Alteration of fertility endpoints in adult male F-344 rats by subchronic exposure to inhaled benzo(a)pyrene

“…We observed a significant reduction in mean testis weight among BaP-exposed rats compared with their UNC counterparts, an observation similar to that made by Blazak et al (Blazak et al, 1985) for adult rats and by Singh and Tate (Singh and Tate, 1981) in adult hamsters, suggesting toxicity of BaP to the testis (Lipshultz and Corriere, 1977). It is apparent from our testicular morphometric data that BaP exposure reduced components of both the steroidogenic and spermatogenic compartments of the testis but more so the latter compartment compared with controls (12% reduction in both total volume and total weight of interstitium per paired testis [steroidogenic compartment] versus 20% reduction in both tubular volume and tubular weight and 40% reduction in tubular length [spermatogenic compartment]).…”

The prevalence of varicocele and varicocele‐related testicular atrophy in Turkish children and adolescents

“…Lipshultz and Corriere [12] ®rst reported testicular atrophy secondary to varicocele, showing that it increased with age but was prevented by early treatment of the varicocele. Later, Lyon et al [9] reported progressive testicular volume loss in 10% of adolescents with varicocele and in 20% of adult patients.…”

Low Plasma Testosterone in Varicocele Patients With Impotence and Male Infertility

“…This study reported deterioration in testicular volume, sperm concentration and motility over time in men with varicocele and direct relation between the size of varicocele and severity of the depression of sperm count [41]. Lipshultz and Corriere [21] compared subfertile patients with varicocele, fertile patients with varicocele, and normal control. They found that the fertile patients with varicocele had a significant diminution in testicular volume compared to normal control as infertile group with varicocele.…”

“…Studies in animals [10,16,24,33,34] and humans [21,32] suggest that varicocele causes progressive durationdependent testicular damage. Rodriguez et al [30] and Ghosh and York [11] demonstrated, in animal studies, the low level of serum testosterone biosynthesis in testis associated with varicocele.…”