SEMEN ANALYSIS IN YOUNG MEN WITH VARICOCELE - PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Purpose: Our aim was to determine whether the deleterious effect of va ricocele on spermatogenesis, as reflected by semen analysis, occurs in boys as young as 17 to 19 years. Data analysis was done of semen vari ables of select, boys attending randomly chosen schools. Materials and Methods: A total of 36 healthy boys without a pathological condition detected by history, physical examination and scrotal ultrasound serve d as controls, and 38 with profound varicocele who were otherwise heal thy served as an experimental group. All boys were followed as outpati ents 2 times during the last year, We performed semen and clinical exa minations, Doppler ultrasound assessment of venous reflux, and ultraso und measurement of testicular and pampiniform vein diameters. Results: No significant differences were found in sperm concentration, volume, presence of spontaneus agglutination and pH between the 2 groups,There were significant; differences in total and progressive sperm motility and vitality, which were lower in boys with varicocele, as were the n umber of normal sperm forms. There was a statistically and clinically significant linear negative relationship between sperm motility, and m aximal and basal blood flow velocities as well as pampiniform vein dia meter. Conclusions: Varicocele can affect spermatogenesis in boys as y oung as 17 to 19 years, as shown by the decrease in motility, vitality and number of normal forms of spermatozoons. The clinically significa nt correlations between semen analysis parameters and ultrasound findi ngs allow the prediction of testicular function using ultrasound alone .