Abstract

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of adolescent varicocele on testicular size and the relation of this effect with puberty.

The study was conducted with data of 53 adolescent patients with left varicocele of Southeastern Anatolian Pediatric Urology Group. The testicular sizes measured with ultrasonography and the rates of testicular hypotrophy adjusted according to age were compared in prepubertal (<13) and pubertal (≥13) groups. In statistical analyses, Student t and Fisher’s exact tests were used.

The mean age was 15 (8-18) years. It was found that sizes of the right and left testicles significantly increased in puberty, and the size of the left testicle was statistically insignificantly lower than of right peripubertally. In 32% of the patients with left varicocele, left testicular hypotrophy was determined. In addition, the frequency of left testicular hypotrophy was significantly higher than of right in all cases and particularly during puberty.

Adolescent varicocele could significantly cause ipsilateral testicular hypotrophy. According to our results, testicular hypotrophy has increased in puberty. However the difference of the results between prepubertal and pubertal periods has not been clearly evaluated due to inequality in the case numbers of both groups.