Varicoceles are abnormally dilated veins surrounding the testicle and are the most common correctable cause of male infertility, found in 40% of men who are infertile and 80% of men who did not previously have difficulty with fertility that do now. Varicocele repair is a minor surgical procedure that is performed in infertile men with varicocele to improve fertility. Dr. Parviz Kavoussi performs several varicocele repairs a week, and has done so for years. It has been demonstrated that varicocele repair can improve semen analysis parameters in the majority of men. Dr. Kavoussi recently co-authored a study revealing that varicocele repair can also decrease the percentage of sperm cells with DNA damage (DNA fragmentation -SDF) as well as improve malondialdehyde levels. Malondialdehydes are direct markers of oxidative stress which is known to be adverse for sperm function. Elevated levels of SDF have been shown to decrease pregnancy rates and increase miscarriage rates. Dr. Kavoussi states, “This study helps us understand that varicocele repair not only can improve semen analysis numbers, but it can also improve the quality and health of sperm which is just as, if not more important in achieving and maintaining a pregnancy to live birth.”
