Significance of intraoperative venographic patterns on the postoperative recurrence and surgical incision placement of pediatric varicoceles.

Abstract

Intraoperative post-ligation spermatic venography has proved to be a reliable adjunct in pediatric varicocele surgery. In a previous study we described the technique and initial results. In this series of 60 consecutive patients with pediatric varicoceles having intraoperative venography, we specifically studied the collateral venous circulation and crossover veins to characterize the venographic patterns associated with varicocelectomy failure. The relationship of incision site and number of venograms necessary to ensure complete interruption of the internal spermatic system was evaluated to determine if an optimum incision placement exists, minimizing the number of venograms necessary. Our data indicate that the most common etiology of recurrent varicocele in children seems to be residual proximal (central) collateral veins, pelvic collateral veins (that is cremasteric, deferential and crossover veins) rarely seem to contribute to varicocelectomy failure and there is an inherent but low risk of varicocelectomy failure despite radiological evidence of complete internal spermatic vein interruption.