A varicocele is an abnormal dilation of veins around the testicle which damage testicular cell function and can have an adverse impact on sperm production. Varicoceles are found in 15% of men in the general population and 40% of men presenting for male fertility evaluations, making a varicocele the most common correctable cause of male infertility. Varicoceles can even drop sperm counts to zero in some cases. Overall, 1% of men in the general population have a sperm count of zero and 15% of men presenting for male fertility evaluations are found to have a sperm count of zero. When a varicocele is diagnosed in men with a sperm count of zero, a minor surgical repair is recommended as some men may have return of sperm to the semen and if not, having the varicocele out of the equation may improve the odds for success in the subsequent steps to improve odds for conception.
Former NFL star Tony Cline shared his story on KVUE news regarding he and his wife’s fertility journey. Tony was evaluated by multiple physicians who were not able to offer satisfactory options for his challenging scenario of having a sperm count of zero. He then consulted with Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine’s Dr. Parviz Kavoussi who diagnosed him with a significant varicocele. Dr. Kavoussi performed a microsurgical varicocele repair which resulted in Tony having sperm return to the semen. He and his wife then were able to undergo IVF under the care of Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine’s Dr. Shahryar Kavoussi which led to a successful pregnancy and the birth of their beautiful daughter. The couple shared their story with KVUE news which also interviewed Dr. Parviz Kavoussi about their success. Dr. Kavoussi states, “This is not an uncommon scenario, in fact it is one we deal with quite frequently, and the good news is that there are steps that can be taken to help couples in this situation. The Clines are an amazing couple that were willing to share their story so others can have hope and know there are treatments that can help a lot of couples get through these difficult scenarios. We are so glad that Tony got to celebrate his first Father’s Day this year!”
Watch the news story below.
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