NON-SURGICAL OCCLUSION TREATMENT OF VARICOCELE VARICOCELE EMBOLIZATION Non-surgical occlusion of enlarged veins leading to the ovaries What is Varicocele? Varicocele is abnormal expansion in the veins coming from the male ovaries. It is most commonly seen on the left side. An important cause of varicocele is the flow that should normally be towards the heart in the veins coming from the eggs, which we call the internal spermatic vein, due to insufficiency in the valves in the veins, and the expansion of these veins due to high pressure and increased blood flow. Varicocele is observed in approximately 10-15% of all men. Varicocele is detected in 40% of male patients with infertility problems. Varicocele embolization is the process of blocking these enlarged veins. Urologists can apply an open surgical ligation method as a surgery, but the embolization method is a non-surgical treatment method and is as effective as surgery, less painful, less risky and has a faster recovery time. Why is varicocele embolization performed? In patients with varicocele, enlarged veins in the ovary region can cause pain, cosmetic problems, and increase ovarian temperature, leading to infertility and shrinkage in the ovaries. Therefore, they need to be treated. When is varicocele treated? Treatment can be applied if there is significant enlargement and leakage in the veins leading to the ovaries and these cause infertility, pain, and cosmetic problems. It can also be applied if sufficient results have not been obtained in patients who have undergone previous surgical treatment. What are the methods used in varicocele treatment? There are surgical methods such as open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and microsurgery; antegrade sclerosing and varicocele embolization methods. What are the advantages of non-surgical varicocele embolization over other methods? Non-surgical varicocele embolization, that is, the procedure of entering and blocking the enlarged vein, is a safe and effective treatment method that has been included in the guidelines since 2001. General anesthesia is not required, the procedure is performed with local anesthesia, thus eliminating the risks and complications that general anesthesia may cause. There are no risks such as ovarian shrinkage and fluid accumulation in the ovarian membrane that can be seen in surgical methods. It is a more painless method compared to surgical methods. Its effectiveness and treatment success are equal to surgical methods. You are discharged on the same day and your recovery process is shorter compared to surgical methods. It can be successfully applied to patients who have previously undergone surgery but have inadequate treatment. Patient satisfaction rates and recommendation to others are quite high. Technical success rate is close to 100%. Risks and Complications of the Procedure 1- Complications related to the entry site: bleeding, infection 1% 2- Complications related to the procedure: Displacement of embolizing substances to non-target areas, vascular injury-rupture-inflammation 1% 3- Complications related to contrast material 4- Back and flank pain (seen in 10% of patients and responds to painkillers). 5- Inflammation of the vessels in the ovary, inflammation of the ovary, fluid accumulation between the membranes surrounding the ovary. Prof.Dr.Fahrettin Küçükay ESOGÜ Faculty of Medicine Department of Interventional Radiology Floor 0 ESOGÜ Meşelik Campus 26480 ESKİŞEHİR 0 222 239 29 79 from 2860 Medical Documentation - Consultant - Secretariat: Tülay Başal 0531 9040389 0530 8205854 Interventional radiology secretariat 0 222 2392979 / from 2860