The influence of clinical and subclinical varicocele on testicular volume.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the possible loss of testicular volume in infertile men with clinical and subclinical varicocele by using ultrasound (US)-derived measurements of testicular volume.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of clinical and scrotal US reports.

SETTING

University infertility clinic.

PATIENT(S): Infertile men (n = 404) presenting for evaluation from 1992 to 1996.

INTERVENTION(S): None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Presence of clinical or subclinical varicocele, US-derived measurements of testicular volume.

RESULT(S): In men with clinical left or subclinical left varicocele, left testicular volume was significantly less than right testicular volume (12.9 versus 14.1 and 13.2 versus 14.7 mL, respectively). This finding was not observed in men with bilateral clinical or bilateral subclinical varicoceles or in men without varicocele.

CONCLUSION(S): Our data confirm previous reports showing that a clinical left varicocele can negatively impact on left testicular volume and for the first time show that a subclinical varicocele is also associated with decreased left testicular volume.