Objectives: To assess the treatment outcome and benefits after varicocelectomy in men with unobstructive azoospermia (UOA) and severe oligospermia (SO).
Patients and methods: The records were retrospectively evaluated for six patients with UOA and 54 with SO who had microsurgical inguinal varicocele ligation (mean age 33.3 years, SD 5.3). Fifty-one (85%) had a unilateral left-sided procedure (five of six with UOA, 46 of 54 with SO), and nine (15%) had a bilateral procedure.
Results: After ligation, spermatogenesis was induced in two of the six men with UOA; the mean (SD) sperm concentration increased from 2.3 (1.6) to 9.2 (12.6) million/mL (P < 0.001), but the sperm motility did not change significantly. Four (7%) of the 54 men with SO achieved paternity, with unassisted pregnancies.
Conclusions: Varicocelectomy resulted in the induction or enhancement of spermatogenesis for several men with UOA or SO; it seems to be a reasonable option in selected patients with UOA or SO.