[Use of the ultrasonic Doppler stethoscope in the diagnosis of varicocele].

In cases of varicocele the reverse venous blood flow can be detected by the use of the Doppler-stethoscope in a simple way. Applied to the basic examination of fertility patients this method has proved to be a valuable non-invasive screening in the evaluation of varicoceles including cases with minor clinical symptoms. According to our results, "subclinical varicocele" as a entity of venous diseases shows special clinical features. Varicocele-orchiopathy is caused by the reverse venous blood flow, when peritesticular venous anastomoses and crosses are less developed or insufficient in their compensatory function.