IMPACT OF VARICOCELECTOMY ON THE SPERM FUNCTION PARAMETERS IN RELEVANCE TO REPRODUCTIVE HORMONAL PROFILE IN INFERTILE MEN

Background: Varicocele is associated with a decrease in fertility and testicular functions. If varicocele is a consequence of a congenital lack in the vein drainage of the testicular grove, its occurrence is caused by the presence of vein reflux. An abnormal spermiogram is more frequent in men with varicocele than in those with normal parameter findings .The presence of varicocele in the general male population is 15-20%. In addition, varicocele causes infertility in 30-50% of all marriages. Moreover, according to WHO (2000), the infertility of a great number of couples is caused by varicocele, which is the main cause of male infertility (30-50%). Objectives: To identify the impact of varicocelectomy on the sperm function parameters and reproductive hormones. Subjects and Methods: This randomized study was carried out on 35 infertile men with different varicocele grades, their age ranged between 19-42 years old through the period from December 2011 to Feburary 2013 in High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad-IRAQ. The cases were subjected to evaluate the varicocelectomy effect on the certain sperm function parameters in relevance to their reproductive hormones. Results: The results of this study was revealed a highly significant (p<0.001) increase in the sperm function parameters of infertile men with all grades of varicocele after varicocelectomy state compared with before state for the same subjects. While there were decrease in reproductive hormones (FSH,LH,PRL) after varicocelectomy in comparison with before state except the testosterone level which were higher in different grades of varicocele infertile patients with a highly significant difference (p<0.001) in comparison with before state. Conclusions: in conclusion the varicocelectomy have a good role in the improvement of the major sperm function parameters, as a result of the varicocelectomy there were an improvement in the testicular hormones as showed by testosterone level corrections.