One hundred ninety-two males with palpable varicoceles and subfertility who underwent varicocelectomy were studied. Fifty-five patients underwent inpatient varicocelectomy and 137 ambulatory varicocelectomy. We have shown that ambulatory varicocelectomy is safe and effective. Surgical success is not compromised. Most importantly, outpatient varicocelectomy is extremely cost-effective. The average cost of ambulatory varicocelectomy was less than 25 per cent that of an equivalent inpatient procedure, with a mean cost of $372 and $1,536 per person, respectively.