Beyond the Incision: A Comparative Study of Suprainguinal and Inguinal Varicocele Surgeries

TL;DR

This study compares two surgical methods for treating varicocele, a common cause of male infertility, and finds that the suprainguinal approach has a shorter operation time without increasing complications.

Contribution

The study provides a direct comparison of surgical outcomes between the suprainguinal and inguinal approaches to varicocelectomy.

Findings

The suprainguinal approach had a significantly shorter operating time (33.1 vs. 40.8 minutes) compared to the inguinal approach.

Both surgical approaches showed similar postoperative pain levels and complication rates.

75% of infertile patients showed improved semen parameters after surgery, with no significant difference between the two approaches.

Abstract

Background

Varicocele, characterised by the abnormal dilation of the pampiniform plexus of scrotal veins, is a prevalent and treatable cause contributing to male infertility, affecting 40% of men experiencing primary infertility and 80% of those with secondary infertility. Often asymptomatic, it can lead to chronic scrotal pain or a feeling of heaviness. Surgical interventions such as open, laparoscopic, or microsurgical varicocelectomy aim to eliminate venous reflux into the scrotum. This study sought to assess and evaluate the surgical outcomes and postoperative complications of the suprainguinal and inguinal approaches to varicocelectomy, offering evidence-based insights to improve varicocele management.

Methodology

A total of 60 males diagnosed with grade II or III unilateral or bilateral varicocele were included in the study. Patients with subclinical or grade I varicocele, recurrent varicocele, or concomitant inguinoscrotal pathology (hydrocele, epididymal cyst, and inguinal hernia) were excluded. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups based on the surgical technique: Group A (suprainguinal approach) and Group B (inguinal approach). Surgical outcomes were assessed by evaluating operating time, postoperative pain, wound hematoma, wound infection, hydrocele development, testicular atrophy, and semen analysis, both pre- and postoperatively.

Results

The study included 60 patients with a mean age of 29.05±5.96 years and an age range of 18-40 years. The suprainguinal approach offers a significantly shorter operating time than the inguinal approach (33.1 vs. 40.8 minutes). Both surgical techniques resulted in similar postoperative pain levels. The incidence of complications, such as wound hematoma, wound infection, and hydrocele development, showed no significant differences between the two approaches. In Group A (suprainguinal approach), the rates were 3.3%, 6.6%, and 3.3%, respectively, while in Group B (inguinal approach), they were 6.6%, 13.3%, and 6.6%. Additionally, 75% of patients in the infertility group showed improvements in semen parameters, with 80% in Group A and 71.4% in Group B, with no significant difference between the surgical approaches.

Conclusion

The suprainguinal and inguinal approaches to varicocelectomy effectively manage varicoceles, with the suprainguinal approach offering a shorter operating time. Postoperative complications and improvements in semen parameters were comparable between the two methods.

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