What is a varicocele? First let’s understand what a spermatic vein is and where this vein is located. The tiny veins from the testes and epididymis (which collect blood from the testes and epididymis) come together to form a reticular plexus (think of it as a river), most of which travels up through the inguinal canal and joins at the abdominal ring to form a single vein called the internal spermatic vein. A small portion of the venous plexus forms the external spermatic vein, which drains into the inferior abdominal wall vein. Is this little paragraph particularly long and difficult to understand? No matter, we just need to know that the spermatic vein is above the balls (testicles) of the scrotum and collects blood from the balls to flow back to the stomach. This means that this vein is quite important and has a certain relationship with future fertility. What are varicose veins of the spermatic cord? It is a blockage of the venous return to the spermatic cord that causes stagnation of the blood, resulting in elongation, dilation and tortuosity of the trabecular veins. Can children also have varicocele? Many parents wonder, “How can a child so young have varicocele?” Theoretically, the younger the child, the less likely the varicose spermatocele is. There are few prepubescent children with varicose spermatocele, and it is not uncommon for children within the age of ten. What are the signs of varicocele? Most varicose veins occur on the left side of the spermatic cord (due to the special structure of the left side). Most varicose veins have few symptoms at first and are not uncomfortable, so they are often overlooked and found during physical examinations. In a small number of children, the enlarged scrotum can be noticed, especially during bathing. In severe cases, the child can feel a painful swelling in the scrotum, which is more uncomfortable when exercising or standing for too long. In severe cases, the child’s scrotum can be seen to be asymmetrical on both sides, with the varicose veins lower on the side that has them. The skin reveals light blue dilated and tortuous tufts of blood vessels. To the touch, the varicose veins resemble clumps of earthworms. The varicose veins shrink or disappear when lying down or when gentle pressure is applied to the varicose veins, and then reappear when standing.