A varicocele is like a varicose vein in the leg, except that the swollen, twisted vein develops in the scrotum. Although most varicoceles do not cause pain or produce other symptoms, they are known to interfere with fertility. Fifteen percent of the general population has varicocele, and approximately 35 percent of men that Dr. Paul Turek evaluates for infertility have varicocele. Identifying and treating varicocele can have a tremendously positive effect on male fertility and may help you father the biological children you have always wanted. In fact, varicoceles are the most commonly found surgically correctable cause of male infertility.
Urologists at NYU Langone sometimes recommend surgery to manage conditions that cause problems with sperm production in men with infertility. If your doctor determines you have varicocele, which occurs when blood backs up in the veins along the spermatic cord, varicocelectomy may be recommended. During a varicocelectomy, your doctor surgically seals off the affected vein or veins and redirects blood flow to healthy veins, improving sperm production. Varicocelectomy can be performed in various ways. In microscopic varicocelectomy, performed with sedation or general anesthesia, your doctor makes a small incision over the inguinal canal, which is located on each side of the groin. Next, he or she uses a special microscope to locate and tie off the affected veins inside the spermatic cord, which travels through the inguinal canals.
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The doctor said that he is missing a certain enzyme that helps create sperm. Is there any way he can father his own children? Can the enzyme be supplemented? Thank you.