ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND:

Varicocele is among the most common causes of male infertility. Venous

insufficiency is present in some patients with infertility. Valvular incompetence has

been shown to be the major underlying possible etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of

both varicocele and venous insufficiency.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

The aim of this study is to assess the saphenofemoral junction incompetence in

infertile patients with varicocele in a big series of patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

A total of 321 infertile patients with varicocele and 60 age-matched healthy fertile

males as controls are enrolled within the study from 2007 to 2011 in Sohag society.

Cases with history of inguino-scrotal surgery were excluded from the study. Physical

examinations were performed to all patients by experienced vascular surgeon and

urologist. Color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) was performed to examine the

sapheno-femoral junction incompetence to all patients and control groups on both

sides. CDU was performed to all patients and control groups to confirm the presence

ofvaricocele in patients and to exclude varicocele in the control group.

RESULTS:

The age of the 321 infertile patients with primary varicocele ranged from 18-55 years

with a mean age or 35.2 years. 12 (3.7%) patients had right varicocele, 261 (81.3%)

patients had left varicocele and 48 (15%) patients had bilateral varicocele. We found

saphenofemoral jnunction incompetence in 17 (5.4%) patients (6 cases on the right

side, 8 cases on the left side and 3 cases had bilateral SFJ incompetence). In the

control group we found only 2 (3.3%) right SFJ incompetence. Those results were not

statistically significant

CONCLUSION:

There is no statistically significant relation between varicocele and SFJ incompetence

in infertile patients.