TESTICULAR MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION IN VARICOCELE PATIENTS - PREOPERATIVE AND POSTOPERATIVE HISTOPATHOLOGY

The organic effects of varicocele on testicular histology were studied in bilateral testicular biopsies obtained from 30 infertile men durin g varicocele repair and 3 to 6 months post-operatively, using light mi croscopy. Before surgery and at follow-up, semen analyses were perform ed. The results showed a substantial improvement in semen quality in 2 2 cases post-operatively. Pre-operative biopsies showed depressed sper matogenesis with a predominant picture of maturation arrest, sloughing of spermatogenic epithelium, an increase in Leydig cells, thickening of tubular basement membranes and interstitial blood vessel walls with narrowing of their lumina, and increased deposition of interstitial f ibrous tissue. Post-operatively, spermatogenesis improved in 22 cases, with increased mean tubular scores together with diminution in epithe lial cell sloughing. The increased prominence of Leydig cells reverted to normal in 18 cases. The changes i,n tubular basement membranes, in terstitium and interstitial blood vessels were unaffected.