O tratamento da varicocele eliminará completamente mais de 90% das varicoceles (98% se a abordagem subinguinal microscópica for usada).[30]Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine; Society for Male Reproduction and Urology. Report on varicocele and infertility: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2014 Dec;102(6):1556-60.
http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(14)02234-1/fulltext
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25458620?tool=bestpractice.com
[47]Al-Kandari AM, Shabaan H, Ibrahim HM, et al. Comparison of outcomes of different varicocelectomy techniques: open inguinal, laparoscopic, and subinguinal microscopic varicocelectomy: a randomized clinical trial. Urology. 2007 Mar;69(3):417-20.
https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2007.01.057
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17382134?tool=bestpractice.com
A taxa de recorrência varia, dependendo da técnica de reparo, assim como a taxa de complicação.[49]Baazeem A, Belzile E, Ciampi A, et al. Varicocele and male factor infertility treatment: a new meta-analysis and review of the role of varicocele repair. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):796-808.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733620?tool=bestpractice.com
[50]Ding H, Tian J, Du W, et al. Open non-microsurgical, laparoscopic or open microsurgical varicocelectomy for male infertility: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BJU Int. 2012 Nov;110(10):1536-42.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22642226?tool=bestpractice.com
Complicações incluem atrofia testicular e, mais comumente, desenvolvimento de uma hidrocele pós-cirúrgica.
Devido ao fato de varicoceles adolescentes serem geralmente corrigidas para suspensão do crescimento testicular, os pacientes podem esperar uma chance de 50% a 80% de recuperação do crescimento ipsilateral do testículo afetado após a cirurgia.[56]Li F, Chiba K, Yamaguchi K, et al. Effect of varicocelectomy on testicular volume in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis. Urology. 2012 Jun;79(6):1340-5.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22516359?tool=bestpractice.com
Isso pode levar até 6 meses.
Parâmetros de sêmen e fertilidade
Embora a varicocelectomia cirúrgica seja controversa, revisões que excluíram homens com varicoceles subclínicas e com parâmetros de sêmen normais sugerem que o procedimento melhora os parâmetros de sêmen em pacientes com varicocele palpável e parâmetros de sêmen anormais.[34]Persad E, O'Loughlin CA, Kaur S, et al. Surgical or radiological treatment for varicoceles in subfertile men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Apr 23;4:CD000479.
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000479.pub6/full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33890288?tool=bestpractice.com
[46]Yuan R, Zhuo H, Cao D, et al. Efficacy and safety of varicocelectomies: a meta-analysis. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2017 Apr;63(2):120-9.
https://www.doi.org/10.1080/19396368.2016.1265161
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28301253?tool=bestpractice.com
[49]Baazeem A, Belzile E, Ciampi A, et al. Varicocele and male factor infertility treatment: a new meta-analysis and review of the role of varicocele repair. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):796-808.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733620?tool=bestpractice.com
[67]Schauer I, Madersbacher S, Jost R, et al. The impact of varicocelectomy on sperm parameters: a meta-analysis. J Urol. 2012 May;187(5):1540-7.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22425089?tool=bestpractice.com
Uma melhora nos parâmetros de sêmen, principalmente na concentração e motilidade, pode ser observada com o reparo de qualquer varicocele clinicamente palpável.[34]Persad E, O'Loughlin CA, Kaur S, et al. Surgical or radiological treatment for varicoceles in subfertile men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Apr 23;4:CD000479.
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000479.pub6/full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33890288?tool=bestpractice.com
[46]Yuan R, Zhuo H, Cao D, et al. Efficacy and safety of varicocelectomies: a meta-analysis. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2017 Apr;63(2):120-9.
https://www.doi.org/10.1080/19396368.2016.1265161
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28301253?tool=bestpractice.com
[49]Baazeem A, Belzile E, Ciampi A, et al. Varicocele and male factor infertility treatment: a new meta-analysis and review of the role of varicocele repair. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):796-808.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733620?tool=bestpractice.com
O grau de melhora, no entanto, provavelmente depende do tamanho da varicocele.[65]Asafu-Adjei D, Judge C, Deibert CM, et al. Systematic review of the impact of varicocele grade on response to surgical management. J Urol. 2020 Jan;203(1):48-56.
https://www.doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000000311
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31042452?tool=bestpractice.com
Os espermatozoides podem retornar ao ejaculado em 44% dos homens com azoospermia não obstrutiva com uma varicocele após o reparo cirúrgico.[68]Esteves SC, Miyaoka R, Roque M, et al. Outcome of varicocele repair in men with nonobstructive azoospermia: systematic review and meta-analysis. Asian J Androl. 2016 Mar-Apr;18(2):246-53.
https://www.doi.org/10.4103/1008-682X.169562
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26680033?tool=bestpractice.com
O reparo da varicocele em pacientes com azoospermia não obstrutiva pode melhorar a taxa de recuperação de espermatozoides e os desfechos da injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozoides.[68]Esteves SC, Miyaoka R, Roque M, et al. Outcome of varicocele repair in men with nonobstructive azoospermia: systematic review and meta-analysis. Asian J Androl. 2016 Mar-Apr;18(2):246-53.
https://www.doi.org/10.4103/1008-682X.169562
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26680033?tool=bestpractice.com
[69]Sajadi H, Hosseini J, Farrahi F, et al. Varicocelectomy may improve results for sperm retrieval and pregnancy rate in non-obstructive azoospermic men. Int J Fertil Steril. 2019 Jan;12(4):303-5.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6186284
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30291690?tool=bestpractice.com
As taxas de gravidez em casais inférteis, nos quais o homem tem uma varicocele palpável, também melhoraram; no entanto, são necessárias mais evidências para avaliar o impacto na taxa de nascidos vivos.[34]Persad E, O'Loughlin CA, Kaur S, et al. Surgical or radiological treatment for varicoceles in subfertile men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Apr 23;4:CD000479.
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000479.pub6/full
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33890288?tool=bestpractice.com
[70]Fallara G, Capogrosso P, Pozzi E, et al. The effect of varicocele treatment on fertility in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published prospective trials. Eur Urol Focus. 2023 Jan;9(1):154-61.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36151030?tool=bestpractice.com
Além de otimizar os parâmetros de sêmen e a taxa de paternidade do homem, a varicocelectomia cirúrgica pode melhorar a produção de testosterona e reduzir o dano ao ácido desoxirribonucleico (DNA) dos espermatozoides.[49]Baazeem A, Belzile E, Ciampi A, et al. Varicocele and male factor infertility treatment: a new meta-analysis and review of the role of varicocele repair. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):796-808.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21733620?tool=bestpractice.com
[71]Li F, Yue H, Yamaguchi K, et al. Effect of surgical repair on testosterone production in infertile men with varicocele: a meta-analysis. Int J Urol. 2012 Feb;19(2):149-54.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22059526?tool=bestpractice.com
Uma metanálise revelou que a ligadura do varicocele reduziu o dano ao DNA dos espermatozoides uns modestos 3.37%.[72]Wang YJ, Zhang RQ, Lin YJ, et al. Relationship between varicocele and sperm DNA damage and the effect of varicocele repair: a meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online. 2012 Sep;25(3):307-14.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22809864?tool=bestpractice.com
Revisões sistemáticas relataram um aumento significativo nas proporções clínicas de gravidez e nascidos vivos em pacientes com varicoceles tratadas, em comparação com pacientes com varicoceles não tratadas, submetidos à injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozoides (ICSI).[61]Esteves SC, Roque M, Agarwal A. Outcome of assisted reproductive technology in men with treated and untreated varicocele: systematic review and meta-analysis. Asian J Androl. 2016 Mar-Apr;18(2):254-8.
http://www.ajandrology.com/article.asp?issn=1008-682X;year=2016;volume=18;issue=2;spage=254;epage=258;aulast=Esteves
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26510504?tool=bestpractice.com
[62]Kirby EW, Wiener LE, Rajanahally S, et al. Undergoing varicocele repair before assisted reproduction improves pregnancy rate and live birth rate in azoospermic and oligospermic men with a varicocele: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2016 Nov;106(6):1338-43.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27526630?tool=bestpractice.com