Surgery or embolisation for varicoceles in subfertile men.

A varicoceles is a meshwork of distended blood vessels in the scrotum, usually left-sided, due to dilatation of the spermatic vein. Although the concept that varicoceles causes, and varicocelectomy cures, male subfertility has been around for almost fifty years, the mechanisms by which varicoceles would affect fertility have not yet been satisfactorily explained, and neither have the mechanisms by which varicocelectomy would restore fertility. Furthermore, it has been questioned whether a causal relation exists at all between the distension of the pampiniform plexus and impairment of fertility.