Efficacy of varicocelectomy in primary infertile patients with isolated teratozoospermia. A retrospective analysis
Open accessAbstract
The present study assessed the results of varicocelectomy in patients with isolated teratozoospermia. Sixty-two infertile men with isolated teratozoospermia were evaluated retrospectively. There were significant improvements between preoperative and postoperative mean percentages of spermatozoa with normal morphology (1.15 ± 1.1% versus 2.3 ± 1.8%, p < .001) and spermatozoa with head abnormalities (92.9 ± 4.5% versus 88.6 ± 7.4%, p < .001). Nineteen (31%) patients had children through natural conception, 4 (6%) patients had children with assisted reproductive techniques and 39 (63%) patients had got no children within a mean follow-up period of 31.3 months. In patients who had children with natural conception, significant improvements were detected in postoperative mean percentages of spermatozoa with normal morphology (p < .001), head abnormalities (p < .001), neck/midpiece abnormalities (p = .003) and tail abnormalities (p = .007). When semen parameters of men who had children via natural conception was compared with the men with no children, we found that the percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology was significantly higher (p = .008) and percentage of spermaztozoa with head anomalies was significantly lower (p = .019) in men who had children via natural conception. We believe that varicocelectomy is a beneficial surgical method for the treatment of isolated teratozoospermia and better postoperative rates of spermatozoa having normal morphology and head abnormalities are related with natural conception.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Several studies have evaluated the role of varicocelectomy and antioxidants in improving sperm morphology, particularly for immature sperm and those with head and tail defects based on Kruger's classification.
“Several studies have evaluated the role of varicocelectomy and antioxidants in improving sperm morphology, particularly for immature sperm and those with head and tail defects based on Kruger’s classification (97-104).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [99]
The Methods section says sperm morphology was assessed using Kruger’s strict criteria, and the Results report improved normal morphology and fewer head abnormalities after varicocelectomy. Tail abnormalities improved only in the subgroup whose partners conceived naturally, not in the full group. The paper does not evaluate antioxidant treatment or report an improvement specifically in immature sperm; its discussion of increased antioxidant capacity concerns an effect of varicocelectomy. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAmong men who underwent varicocelectomy, those who attained natural conception had a higher rate of sperm with normal morphology and a lower rate of sperm with head anomalies compared to those who failed to achieve pregnancy or those who should undergo ART.
“Furthermore, Ilktac et al. observed that subjects who attained natural conception after varicocelectomy had a higher rate of sperm with normal morphology and a lower rate of sperm with head anomalies compared to those who failed to achieve pregnancy or those who should undergo ART (99).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [99]
The Abstract and Table 4 report higher postoperative normal sperm morphology and fewer head abnormalities among men who conceived naturally than among men who had no children. The paper mentions four men who had children through assisted reproductive techniques, but the cited comparison is with the no-children group; it does not establish the same comparison with men who underwent or should undergo ART. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAround one-sixth to one-third of subjects with isolated teratozoospermia achieve spontaneous pregnancy after varicocelectomy.
“Studies also found that around one-sixth to one-third of subjects with isolated teratozoospermia achieve spontaneous pregnancy after varicocelectomy (98,99).”
From Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review (2024) · cites this paper as [99]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Smith, R., Kovac, J., Cajipe, M., Lamb, D., & Lipshultz, L. (2017) · Asian Journal of Andrology · doi:10.4103/1008-682x.189211 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Kohn, T. P., Kohn, J. R., & Ramasamy, R. (2018) · Journal of Urology · doi:10.1016/j.juro.2017.11.045 · Cited by 56 · cited 1× · see citing works
“There are physicians who believe that natural conception or even pregnancy with IUI is not possible for men with normal morphology less than 4 and recommend IVF in such cases (Kohn et al., 2018).”
BackgroundIs Varicocelectomy Useful for Subfertile Men with Isolated Teratozoospermia?
Choe, J. H., & Seo, J. T. (2015) · Urology · doi:10.1016/j.urology.2015.08.014 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 34
- S Abdel-Meguid, T. A., Al-Sayyad, A., Tayib, A., & Farsi, H. M. (2011). Does varicocele repair improve male infertility? An evidence-based per- spective from a randomized, controlled trial. European Urology, 59(3), 455-461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2010.12.008 · DOI
- Agarwal, A., Sharma, R. K., Desai, N. R., Prabakaran, S., Tavares, A., & Sabanegh, E. (2009). Role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of varicocele and infertility. Urology, 73(3), 461-469. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.urolo gy.2008.07.053 · DOI
- Al Bakri, A., Lo, K., Grober, E., Cassidy, D., Cardoso, J. P., & Jarvi, K. (2012). Time for improvement in semen parameters after varicocelectomy. The Journal of Urology, 187(1), 227-231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. juro.2011.09.041 · DOI · Paper page
- Alkan, İ., Yüksel, M., Canat, H. L., Atalay, H. A., Can, O., Özveri, H., & Başar, M. M. (2018). Superoxide anion production by the spermato- zoa of men with varicocele: Relationship with varicocele grade and semen parameters. The World Journal of Men's Health, 36(3), 255-262. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.180028 · DOI
- Auger, J., Jouannet, P., & Eustache, F. (2016). Another look at human sperm morphology. Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), 31(1), 10-23. https://doi.org/10.1093/humre p/dev251 · DOI
- Baazeem, A., Belzile, E., Ciampi, A., Dohle, G., Jarvi, K., Salonia, A., Weidner, W., & Zini, A. (2011). Varicocele and male factor infertility treatment: A new meta-analysis and review of the role of varicocele repair. European Urology, 60(4), 796-808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. eururo.2011.06.018 · DOI
- Barekat, F., Tavalaee, M., Deemeh, M. R., Bahreinian, M., Azadi, L., Abbasi, H., & Nasr-Esfahani, M. H. (2016). A preliminary study: N-acetyl-L-cysteine improves semen quality following varicoce- lectomy. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, 10(1), 120-126. https://doi.org/10.22074/ ijfs.2016.4777 · DOI
- Brahem, S., Mehdi, M., Elghezal, H., & Saad, A. (2011). Detection of DNA fragmentation and meiotic segregation in human with isolated ter- atozoospermia. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 28(1), 41-48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1081 5-010-9482-8 · DOI
- Cakan, M., Bakirtas, H., Aldemir, M., Demirel, F., & Altug, U. (2008). Results of varicocelectomy in patients with isolated teratozo- ospermia. Urologia Internationalis, 80(2), 172-176. https://doi. org/10.1159/00011 2609 · DOI · Paper page
- Chen, S.-S., Huang, W. J., Chang, L. S., & Wei, Y.-H. (2008). Attenuation of oxidative stress after varicocelectomy in subfertile patients with varicocele. The Journal of Urology, 179(2), 639-642. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.juro.2007.09.039 · DOI
- Cooper, T. G., Noonan, E., von Eckardstein, S., Auger, J., Baker, H. W. G., Behre, H. M., Haugen, T. B., Kruger, T., Wang, C., Mbizvo, M. T., & Vogelsong, K. M. (2010). World Health Organization reference values for human semen characteristics. Human Reproduction Update, 16(3), 231-245. https://doi.org/10.1093/humup d/dmp048 · DOI · Paper page
- Damsgaard, J., Joensen, U. N., Carlsen, E., Erenpreiss, J., Blomberg Jensen, M., Matulevicius, V., Zilaitiene, B., Olesen, I. A., Perheentupa, A., Punab, M., Salzbrunn, A., Toppari, J., Virtanen, H. E., Juul, A., Skakkebæk, N. E., & Jørgensen, N. (2016). Varicocele is associated with impaired semen quality and reproductive hormone levels: A study of 7035 healthy young men from six European countries. European Urology, 70(6), 1019-1029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. eururo.2016.06.044 · DOI
- Danis, R. B., & Samplaski, M. K. (2019). Sperm morphology: history, chal- lenges, and impact on natural and assisted fertility. Current Urology Reports, 20(8), 43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s1193 4-019-0911-7 · DOI
- Dubin, L., & Amelar, R. D. (1971). Etiologic factors in 1294 consecutive cases of male infertility. Fertility and Sterility, 22(8), 469-474. https:// doi.org/10.1016/s0015 -0282(16)38400 -x · DOI
- Gorelick, J. I., & Goldstein, M. (1993). Loss of fertility in men with varico- cele. Fertility and Sterility, 59(3), 613-616.
- Jarow, J. P., Coburn, M., & Sigman, M. (1996). Incidence of varicoceles in men with primary and secondary infertility. Urology, 47(1), 73-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0090 -4295(99)80385 -9 · DOI
- Jungwirth, A., Gogus, C., Hauser, G., Gomahr, A., Schmeller, N., Aulitzky, W., & Frick, J. (2001). Clinical outcome of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy in infertile men. Andrologia, 33(2), 71-74. https:// doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0272.2001.00407.x · DOI
- Kroese, A. C. J., de Lange, N. M., Collins, J., & Evers, J. L. H. (2012). Surgery or embolization for varicoceles in subfertile men. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10, CD000479. https://doi. org/10.1002/14651 858.CD000 479. · DOI
- pub5 · DOI
- Kruger, T. F., Acosta, A. A., Simmons, K. F., Swanson, R. J., Matta, J. F., & Oehninger, S. (1988). Predictive value of abnormal sperm mor- phology in in vitro fertilization. Fertility and Sterility, 49(1), 112-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0015 -0282(16)59660 -5 · DOI · Paper page
- Mehraban, D., Ansari, M., Keyhan, H., Sedighi Gilani, M., Naderi, G., & Esfehani, F. (2005). Comparison of nitric oxide concentration in sem- inal fluid between infertile patients with and without varicocele and normal fertile men. Urology Journal, 2(2), 106-110.
- Menkveld, R., Holleboom, C. A. G., & Rhemrev, J. P. T. (2011). Measurement and significance of sperm morphology. Asian Journal of Andrology, 13(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1038/aja.2010. · DOI
- Mostafa, T., Anis, T., El Nashar, A., Imam, H., & Osman, I. (2012). Seminal plasma reactive oxygen species-antioxidants relation- ship with varicocele grade. Andrologia, 44(1), 66-69. https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2010.01111.x · DOI
- Mostafa, T., Anis, T. H., El-Nashar, A., Imam, H., & Othman, I. A. (2001). Varicocelectomy reduces reactive oxygen species levels and increases antioxidant activity of seminal plasma from infertile men with varicocele. International Journal of Andrology, 24(5), 261-265. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2605.2001.00296.x · DOI
- Nikolettos, N., Kupker, W., Demirel, C., Schopper, B., Blasig, C., Sturm, R., Felberbaum, R., Bauer, O., Diedrich, K., & Al-Hasani, S. (1999). Fertilization potential of spermatozoa with abnormal morphology. Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), 14(Suppl 1), 47-70. https:// doi.org/10.1093/humre p/14.suppl_1.47 · DOI
- Palermo, G., Joris, H., Devroey, P., & Van Steirteghem, A. C. (1992). Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic injection of single spermatozoon into an oocyte. Lancet (London, England), 340(8810), 17-18. https:// doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(92)92425 -f · DOI
- Pan, M. M., Hockenberry, M. S., Kirby, E. W., & Lipshultz, L. I. (2018). Male infertility diagnosis and treatment in the era of in vitro fertil- ization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The Medical Clinics of North America, 102(2), 337-347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. mcna.2017.10.008 · DOI
- Pasqualotto, F. F., Sharma, R. K., Nelson, D. R., Thomas, A. J., & Agarwal, A. (2000). Relationship between oxidative stress, semen characteris- tics, and clinical diagnosis in men undergoing infertility investigation. Fertility and Sterility, 73(3), 459-464. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0015 -0282(99)00567 -1 · DOI
- Pfeifer, S., Butts, S., Catherino, W., Davis, O., Dumesic, D., Fossum, G., & Widra, E. (2014). Report on varicocele and infertility: A com- mittee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 102, 1556-1560. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.fertn stert.2014.10.007 · DOI
- Pryor, J. L., & Howards, S. S. (1987). Varicocele. The Urologic Clinics of North America, 14(3), 499-513.
- Su, J. S., Farber, N. J., & Vij, S. C. (2020). Pathophysiology and treatment options of varicocele: An overview. Andrologia, e13576. https://doi. org/10.1111/and.13576 · DOI
- Tavalaee, M., Abbasi, H., Deemeh, M. R., Fotohi, F., Sadoughi Gilani, M. A., & Nasr Esfahani, M. H. (2012). Semen parameters and chromatin packaging in microsurgical varicocelectomy patients. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, 6(3), 165-174.
- Wang, Y.-J., Zhang, R.-Q., Lin, Y.-J., Zhang, R.-G., & Zhang, W.-L. (2012). Relationship between varicocele and sperm DNA damage and the effect of varicocele repair: A meta-analysis. Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 25(3), 307-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.05.002 · DOI
- Zhang, Z., Zheng, S.-J., Yu, W., Han, Y.-F., Chen, H., Chen, Y., & Dai, Y.- T. (2017). Comparison of surgical effect and postoperative patient experience between laparoendoscopic single-site and conven- tional laparoscopic varicocelectomy: A systematic review and me- ta-analysis. Asian Journal of Andrology, 19(2), 248-255. https://doi. org/10.4103/1008-682X.181194 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Isolated teratozoospermia: revisiting its relevance in male infertility: a narrative review
Atmoko, W., Savira, M., Shah, R., Chung, E., & Agarwal, A. (2024) · Translational Andrology and Urology · doi:10.21037/tau-23-397 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Other areas for future research include studies on SDF in patients with isolated teratozoospermia, and studies on the clinical efficacy and risk-benefit analysis of ART in the context of isolated teratozoospermia.”
Influential
- Authors
- Ilktac, A., Hamidli, S., Ersoz, C., Dogan, B., & Akcay, M.
- Affiliations
- Department of Urology Faculty of Medicine Bezmialem Vakif University Istanbul Turkey
- Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi (TR)
- Venue
- Andrologia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-10-28
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- e13875-e13875
- ISSN
- 0303-4569 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-0272
- OpenAlex
- W3096872736
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Andrologia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Keywords
- varicocelectomy, teratozoospermia, male infertility, sperm morphology, sperm head abnormalities, spontaneous conception, assisted reproduction
- MeSH terms
- Teratozoospermia, Child, Humans, Infertility, Male, Male, Retrospective Studies, Spermatozoa, Varicocele
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review