Among all the diseases that are inherent only in men at any age, varicocele, or varicose veins, is no less common. The disease develops under the influence of various factors, both congenital, due to genetic predisposition, and acquired, resulting from excessive physical exertion. However, patients are not so much interested in the causes of the disease, as a consequence - is it possible to treat varicocele without surgery?
Briefly about the causes of varicocele
The main cause of the disease lies in heredity, due to the inherent weakness of the vascular wall. Up to a certain point, a person may not be aware of the course of the disease until it collides with the attendant factors. These can be:
- wrong power mode;
- addiction to bad habits;
- preference for a weak or overly active sexual life;
- abuse of alcohol and alcohol;
- sedentary and sedentary lifestyles.
How does the varicocele manifest?
The disease is characterized by a malnutrition of the testicle, which subsequently leads to its atrophy. The venous vessels around the testicle increase in size and prevent a normal outflow of blood and heat. In the absence of treatment at an early stage of the development of the disease, consequences may occur, among which infertility and impotence are often encountered. Therefore at the first signs varikotsele the patient should pass careful inspection and treatment.
The disease is characterized by several stages of development, each of which manifests itself in its own way. Initially, no symptoms disturb the patient, even ordinary palpation is not able to detect signs of the disease. Only in later stages can there be dull pains in the scrotum, a feeling of discomfort and heaviness in it. Painful sensations are of a fickle and transitory nature that delay a timely visit to a specialist.
How to deal with varicocele?
The main goal of varicocele treatment is to restore the normal state of the veins to the maximum. Any degree of varicocele requires compulsory medical intervention. The earlier a patient turns to a doctor and undergoes treatment, the easier it is to fight the main factors of the disease. Treatment depends on the results of the examination, so for the diagnosis of some complaints the patient is not a sufficient condition. The examination includes not only palpation, but also the procedure for ultraviolet radiation of the scrotum, as well as dopplerography, conducted in two stages: in a standing and lying position.
Treatment of varicocele without surgery is one of the ways to combat the disease. Many specialists are inclined to believe that the first stage of the disease does not require treatment. To eliminate symptoms, the patient is advised to follow certain preventive measures, such as normalizing the bowel and avoiding excessive physical exertion that presses the veins.
Speaking about non-surgical methods of varicocele treatment, we mean the following:
- sclerotherapy;
- embolization.
Sclerotherapy in the treatment of varicocele
The procedure is characterized by the introduction into the testicle of a substance such as a sclerosant, which contributes to the invasion of the lumen of the vessel. With such manipulation there is a cessation of the pathological reverse venous blood flow to the testicle and a gradual subsidence of the manifestations of the disease. The sclerotherapy method is performed under local anesthesia, so that the patient does not feel any pain at all. The advantage of this procedure is that the patient does not need to be hospitalized, but returns home after sclerotherapy.
Embolization in the treatment of varicocele
Embolization is characterized by penetration into the testicular vein of a thin catheter and insertion of an embolization spiral into it, which is aimed at blocking the blood flow. The procedure is that the puncture( puncture) of the right femoral vein is first performed. Then a flexible metal conductor is inserted into this vein, and a special catheter is placed on it. The catheter is first conducted through the femoral vein, then into the inferior hollow and further into the left renal vein. With the help of radiopaque substance, the embolization procedure is carried out.
The benefits of varicocele embolization are characterized by:
- performing an operation under local anesthesia;
- by performing an operation without incisions on the skin;
- lack of cosmetic defect;
- lower frequency of recurrence varicocele;
- no pain during the procedure;
- three-day hospitalization.
Which of the considered methods of non-surgical treatment is suitable for a particular patient, can only be determined by the attending physician, based on the results of the examination and the clinical picture of the disease. A good effect in the treatment has a massage, used as an auxiliary. During the massage, the patient is placed in a position in which the pelvis is in a raised position to improve the outflow of blood. The technique of massage is such that movements do not provoke and cause pain.
Surgical treatment of varicocele
Despite the prevalence and efficacy of the non-surgical varicocele treatment described above, the last stage of the disease requires surgical intervention. The operation is administered with:
- male infertility;
- progressive changes in spermogram indexes;
- painful sensations in the scrotum, strengthened by physical exertion;
- changes in egg consistency;
- decrease in egg size.
The operation is performed by various methods( traditional surgical operation, endoscopic, x-ray endovascular), but all of them are aimed at removal of the affected veins.
