Varicocoele

Varicocoele is a collection of dilated veins that sits above the testis usually on the left side. This is bad for sperms as it brings a large amount of blood into the vicinity where the sperms are being produced. This will raise the temperature of the testis and the extra heat will cause impaired sperm production and maturation. The shape and size of the sperm (morphology) and sperm motility will then be affected.

When a man has a significant varicocoele, surgery is recommended to tie off these veins and block the flow of this extra blood around the testicles. There are different approaches to tying off these veins. The newest and most effective is a microsurgical repair, which is performed through a small groin incision, under a surgical microscope. It is a very safe operation and is usually effective. This usually works to improve the sperm count, the motility, and morphology for most men. However, its place is not universally accepted in the medical world.