Percutaneous sclerotherapy of varicoceles--an alternative to conventional surgical methods.

Between May 1981 and October 1982, 259 varicoceles were identified by phlebography. It was possible to occlude 217 with Varicocid using a percutaneous Seldinger catheterisation technique under local anaesthesia. This method is an alternative to standard surgical techniques and has several advantages. It is cheap, it can be carried out on an out-patient basis, it lacks the risks associated with general anaesthesia and there are few complications.