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
.