Surgical ligation vs. angiographic embolization of the vena spermatica: a prospective randomized study for the treatment of varicocele-related infertility

Varicoceles as a common cause of male infertility are treated either by surgical ligation or, more recently, by angiographic occlusion of the spermatic vein. In the present prospective randomized study 38 patients were treated by surgical ligation and 33 by angiographic embolization. During the 12-month follow-up period a significant increase in sperm number (at 3 and 12 months) and sperm motility (at 12 months) occurred in both groups while sperm morphology remained unaffected. Altogether, 22 pregnancies (31%) were reported within the year following treatment, of which 11/38 (29%) occurred in the ligation group and 11/33 (33%) in the embolization group. Thus both treatment modalities appear equivalent, whereby embolization has the advantage that it can be performed on an outpatient basis.