Varicocele Surgery: 10 Years of Experience in Two Pediatric Surgical Centers

Abstract

Abstract

Aim:

The study was designed to compare recurrence rates and complications after laparoscopic versus open varicocele surgery in children.

Subjects and Methods:

A retrospective case-note review of all varicocele surgery over a 10-year period (April 1999–March 2009) in two pediatric surgical centers was performed. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed using SPSS Statistics version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).

Results:

Thirty-seven patients had varicocele surgery during the study period. The median age at surgery was 14 years (range, 11–16 years). Most children had left-sided Grade 2 varicocele. Twenty-five (68%) primary procedures were laparoscopic (17 artery-sparing), and 12 (32%) procedures were open (9 artery-sparing). Six (16%) children had recurrence, and 6 (16%) had postoperative hydrocele. Recurrence rates after laparoscopic (16%) and open (17%) surgery were similar. Increasing age significantly decreased recurrence (odds ratio, 0.373; 95% confidence interval 0.161–0.862; P=.021). Although laparoscopy was associated with higher rates of postoperative hydrocele (odds ratio, 2.817; 95% confidence interval, 0.035–3.595; P=.380) and artery-sparing ligation was associated with higher rates of recurrence (odds ratio, 2.667; 95% confidence interval, 0.022–4.235; P=.787), these associations were not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

The best results of varicocele surgery in terms of recurrence and postoperative hydrocele were achieved by open mass ligation; however, larger prospective studies are warranted.