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When is a varicocele repair indicated: the dilemma of hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction?
Open accessAbstract
In the past, the indications for varicocelectomy are primarily for infertility with abnormal semen parameters, testicular hypotrophy/atrophy in adolescents, and/or pain. The surgical treatment of varicocele for hypogonadism is controversial and debated. Recently, multiple reports in the literature have suggested that varicocele is associated with hypogonadism and varicocele repair can increase testosterone levels. Men with hypogonadal symptoms should have at least two serum testosterone levels. Microsurgical varicocelectomy may be beneficial for men with clinically palpable varicoceles with documented hypogonadism. In this review, we summarize the most recent literature linking varicocele to hypogonadism and sexual dysfunction and the impact of repair on serum testosterone levels. We performed a search of the published English literature. The key words used were "varicocele and hypogonadism" and "varicocele surgery and testosterone." We included published studies after 1998. We, also, evaluated the effect of surgery on the changes in the serum testosterone level regardless of the indication for the varicocele repair.
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“It has been shown that the incidence of varicocele increases with age and the negative impact of a varicocele on testicular function is progressive, but studies indicate that varicocelectomy improves testosterone levels in hypogonadal men in their 40 and 50s as much as younger men (25-28).”
From Non-testosterone management of male hypogonadism: an examination of the existing literature (2020) · cites this paper as [27]
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“It has been shown that the incidence of varicocele increases with age and the negative impact of a varicocele on testicular function is progressive, but studies indicate that varicocelectomy improves testosterone levels in hypogonadal men in their 40 and 50s as much as younger men (25-28).”
From Non-testosterone management of male hypogonadism: an examination of the existing literature (2020) · cites this paper as [27]
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Non-testosterone management of male hypogonadism: an examination of the existing literature
Krzastek, S. C., & Smith, R. P. (2020) · Translational Andrology and Urology · doi:10.21037/tau.2019.11.16 · Cited by 33
“It has been shown that the incidence of varicocele increases with age and the negative impact of a varicocele on testicular function is progressive, but studies indicate that varicocelectomy improves testosterone levels in hypogonadal men in their 40 and 50s as much as younger men (25-28).”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Goldstein, M., & Dabaja, A.
- Affiliations
- Weill Cornell Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Goldstein, Marc
- ORCID
- Goldstein, Marc
- Venue
- Asian Journal of Andrology
- Published
- 2016
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 213
- ISSN
- 1008-682X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4770488
- OpenAlex
- W2223717497
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-sa
- Locations
- Asian Journal of Andrology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Keywords
- varicocele, varicocelectomy, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, testosterone levels, microsurgical varicocelectomy, male infertility, serum testosterone, surgical indications
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Hypogonadism, Erectile Dysfunction, Male, Testosterone, Varicocele
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