Many patients are diagnosed with varicose spermatocele during medical checkups or when they come to see about infertility, what is this disease, is it serious, and how can it be treated? I have varicose spermatocele, doctor, is this disease rare? Varicocele often develops in adolescence and is rarely seen in children under the age of 10. It is a progressive lesion that causes progressive decrease in sperm production and hormone production. Nearly 50% of infertile couples have semen abnormalities. Varicocele is the most common and easily corrected cause, and after surgery, 60%-80% of semen improves and 20%-60% of pregnancies can occur spontaneously. Left spermatic varicoceles are seen in 15% of normal young men, nearly 40% of whom suffer from male infertility. Are varicose veins in the spermatic cord also the same as varicose veins in the thighs because of standing for a long time? First of all, varicose veins are commonly found in the left scrotum, and the high incidence of varicose veins on the left side has its anatomical basis, such as the left internal spermatic vein is longer than the right, and converges into the left renal vein in a right-angle manner. The special anatomical structure increases the pressure of the internal spermatic vein in the standing position and transmits to the left scrotal vein, resulting in a reverse flow of blood into the trapezius plexus. While the right internal spermatic vein converges into the inferior vena cava in an oblique manner, the chances of morbidity are greatly reduced and secondly the higher incidence of lack of venous valves in the left internal spermatic vein also increases the incidence of varicose veins. To put it simply, this is determined by congenital anatomical factors and has little to do with prolonged standing. Is varicocele a serious condition and what are its effects? Varicocele is a benign, chronic disease. Many people with varicocele, especially those with mild varicocele, do not have symptoms, but more severe patients experience a feeling of swelling and pain in the scrotum and testicles, which is especially noticeable after activity and force, and is relieved when resting in a flat position. In addition to symptoms, varicocele also affects sperm density and quality, which is a cause of male infertility and can lead to testicular atrophy in severe cases. Doctor, do I need treatment for my varicocele? Infertility in couples; normal fertility in women or infertility in women but treatable; palpable varicocele on physical examination or suspected to be diagnosed by ultrasonography; abnormal semen analysis in men. Adolescent males with varicocele should consider varicocele surgery if the ipsilateral testicle volume has decreased. Younger men who do not have a decrease in ipsilateral testicular volume can have an annual physical examination or semen analysis after sexual maturity. The above is the definition of what kind of varicocele needs to be treated according to our varicocele diagnosis and treatment guidelines. To put it simply, there are two points: it affects fertility and the symptoms are obvious. How should varicocele be treated, and is it possible to take medicine? There is only one most effective way to treat varicocele, and that is surgical treatment, which is done by intercepting the refluxed venous blood and causing the varicose veins to gradually shrink. There are medications for varicocele, such as medications to assist in the reduction of edema and medications to relieve symptoms, which can slow the progression and reduce the symptoms, but do not reverse the varicocele that has formed. I am an infertility patient, will my semen quality return to normal after my varicocele surgery? The overall rate of improvement in semen parameters after varicocele surgery is 51%-78% and the overall pregnancy rate after surgery is 24%-53%. A meta-analysis of 2000 cases suggested that about 50%-60% of patients experienced changes in semen parameters improvement and 30%-40% of patients had their first pregnancy. What does this probability indicate? Let me show you another set of data. International scholars who did a meta-analysis found that the probability of pregnancy after varicocele surgery was 29.7%, compared to 25.4% for IVF-ICSI (direct choice IVF), but the cost of IVF-ICSI is significantly higher than the former. Simply put, having varicocele surgery does not necessarily improve sperm motility, but this procedure is one of the most effective and cost-effective options.