Is the recurrence rate of varicocele high after surgery?

According to experts, in clinical practice, no matter what disease it is, as long as surgery is performed, there is a possibility of recurrence, but some diseases are not very serious, so they basically will not recur. So, is the recurrence rate of varicocele, a common disease in men, high after surgery?

Different surgical methods have different recurrence rates

Recurrence after varicocele surgery is the most common problem after varicocele surgery. Different surgical methods have different recurrence rates. The recurrence rate after open surgery via the retroperitoneal approach is the highest, reported to be 7-35%, with an average of 14.97%, followed by embolization surgery, which is 2-24%, with an average of 12.7%, and the recurrence rate of laparoscopic surgery is 2.17-7.14%, with an average of 4.3%. The recurrence rate of traditional surgery via the inguinal approach is lower, with an average of 2.63%, and the recurrence rate of microsurgery is the lowest, with an average of 1.05%.

Two major complications after recurrence of varicocele

1. Edema

Edema after varicocelectomy is the most common complication, with an incidence of 3-39% and an average of 7%. Lymphatic vessel damage or misligation is the main cause of edema. In theory, embolization technology will not cause edema, and the edema rate of microscopic varicocelectomy is relatively low. Some patients develop testicular hydrocele after surgery, some of which can disappear on their own after a few months, otherwise surgical treatment is required.

2. Testicular artery damage

Most cases of postoperative testicular atrophy are caused by ligation or damage to the testicular artery during surgery, and the overall incidence of testicular atrophy is about 0.2%. Since the blood supply to the testicle also includes the vas deferens artery and the levator testis artery, there is still controversy over the preservation of the testicular artery.