A retrospective survey of men having ligation of varicoceles for infertility from 1969–79 was carried out. Out of 95 patients 71 were traced. The wives of 35 of the patients (48%) subsequently became pregnant while 36 (52%) did not. Almost 60 per cent of patients with a post-operative sperm count more than 40 million/ml achieved a pregnancy.
Approximately half the successful pregnancies were achieved within 2½ years but successful pregnancies continued until 5½years after operation.
TullochWS. Consideration of sterility factors in the light of subsequent pregnancies: Subfertility in the male. Transactions of the Edinburgh Obstetrical Society. Edinb Med J1952; 59:29–34.
2.
TullochWS. Varicocele in subfertility: Results of treatment. Brit Med J1955; 2:356–358.
3.
HanleyHGHarrisonRC. The nature and surgical correction of varicocele. Bri J Surg1962; 50:64–67.
4.
MacLeodJ. Further observation in the role of varicocele in human male infertility. Fertil Steril1969; 20:545–563.
5.
StewartB. Varicocele in infertility: Incidence and results of surgical therapy. J Urol1974; 112:222–223.
6.
DubinLAmelarRD. Varicocelectomy as therapy in male infertility: A study of 504 cases. Fertil Steril1975; 26:217–220.
7.
NilssonSEdvinssonANilssonB. Improvement of semen and pregnancy rate after ligation and division of the internal spermatic vein: Fact or fiction?Brit J Urol1979; 51:591–596.
8.
ScottLSYoungDG. Varicocele: A study of its effects on human spermatogenesis and of the results produced by spermatic vein ligation. Fertil Steril1962; 13:325–334.
9.
GetzoffPL. Surgical management of male infertility–results of a survey. Fertil Steril1973; 24:553–560.
10.
DubinLAmelarRD. Varicocelectomy: 986 cases in a 12 year study. Urology1977; 10:446–449.
