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Varicocele percutaneous embolization outcomes in a pediatric group: 7-year retrospective study

  • Urology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Purpose

Percutaneous embolization and surgical repair are the current treatment options for varicocele, but determining method superiority remains controversial. In this retrospective study, we evaluate the technical success, complication and recurrence rates following percutaneous embolization in a pediatric group, which were compared to reported outcomes for surgical repairs.

Methods

Thirty children treated for percutaneous varicocele embolization were recruited. The side and grade of varicocele, symptoms, testicular asymmetry, mean recurrence time, total radiation dose and complications were evaluated. Recurrence and follow-up complications due to embolization were also reviewed.

Results

The venography showed retrograde filling of the internal spermatic vein with the identification of aberrantly fed vessels in 23 % of patients. None of the patients suffered from procedure complications except one who had venous injury which was treated with a sclerosing agent. The technical success rate was 93 % (28 patients) with a recurrence rate of 13 % (4 patients). Interestingly, the mean radiation dose used was 862.5 µGy m2, 3 times lower than abdominal CT.

Conclusion

Considering the intravascular nature of embolization, which aims to avoid testicular artery and spermatic cord damage (difficult to avoid with the surgical method), and consequently a lower complication rate, along with the same success rate and recurrence rate, our study supports that embolization is a superior method to surgical interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Sion Hospital, Sion, Switzerland

    Sonaz Malekzadeh, Pierre-Henri Morère, Alexandra Sorega & Christophe Constantin

  2. Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Rodrigo A. Fraga-Silva & Nikolaos Stergiopulos

  3. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sion Hospital, Sion, Switzerland

    Stephan Produit

  4. Department of Radiology, Geneva Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

    Christophe Constantin

  5. Service d’imagerie diagnostique et interventionnelle, Centre Hospitalier du Centre du Valais, Avenue du Grand-Champsec 80, 1950, Sion, Switzerland

    Sonaz Malekzadeh

Authors
  1. Sonaz Malekzadeh
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  2. Rodrigo A. Fraga-Silva
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  3. Pierre-Henri Morère
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  4. Alexandra Sorega
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  5. Stephan Produit
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  6. Nikolaos Stergiopulos
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  7. Christophe Constantin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sonaz Malekzadeh.

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Ethical standard

This study was approved by the local ethical committee of the Sion Hospital, Sion, Switzerland, and is in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.

Conflict of interest

The authors certify that they have no conflict of interest and are not affiliated or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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Cite this article

Malekzadeh, S., Fraga-Silva, R.A., Morère, PH. et al. Varicocele percutaneous embolization outcomes in a pediatric group: 7-year retrospective study. Int Urol Nephrol 48, 1395–1399 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-016-1340-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-016-1340-x

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