URO Flashcards
When should varicocele be referred?
Right side only, or in a child less than age 10, is abnormal and may indicate an abdominal or retroperitoneal mass.
Most varicoceles appear in adolescence, occur on the left side, and are asymptomatic. About 10% are bilateral. Surgical repair of large varicoceles can reverse testicular growth arrest, with catch-up growth occurring within 1–2 years. Varicoceles are the most common surgically correctable cause of subfertility in men and the goal of surgery is to maximize chances for fertility. Varicoceles in men are common, with an incidence of approximately 15%. Ref: Nussinovitch M, Greenbaum E, Amir J, et al: Prevalence of adolescent varicocele. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001;155(7):855-856. Behrman RE, Kliegman RM, Jenson HB (eds): Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, ed 17. Saunders, 2004, pp 1819-1820.
