Patient's question:
What are the symptoms of varicocele?Doctor's answer:
Varicocele refers to the tortuous and dilated veins in the spermatic cord due to impaired venous. It is a common disease among young and middle-aged adults, characterized by the dilatation, tortuosity, and elongation of the pampiniform plexus (vein vascular plexus) in the spermatic cord caused by venous blood stasis. The incidence rate in the male population is 10-15%, accounting for 15-20% of male infertility cases. This condition predominantly occurs on the left side, but bilateral cases are not uncommon, accounting for approximately 20%. Varicocele can be accompanied by testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production, leading to male infertility. Varicocele can also be caused by renal tumors or other retroperitoneal tumors due to compression, and varicocele resulting from compression is referred to as symptomatic or secondary varicocele.