Varicocele repair for low testosterone.

Harry Fisch, Grace Hyun

Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York 10028, USA. HarryFisch@aol.com

Current opinion in urology 2012 Nov

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Several recent clinical studies have added to the existing literature on the impact of varicocelectomy on serum testosterone levels. These studies were not included in the most recent previous review of this topic and strengthen considerably the evidence base supporting the claim that varicocele repair can reliably restore below-normal testosterone levels. Three studies were published in 2011 on the effect of varicocele repair on testosterone levels. These studies were all adequately powered to detect statistically significant changes in testosterone preprocedure and postprocedure, and all demonstrated significant increases in testosterone levels in patients who had low preprocedure testosterone levels. Varicocele repair can restore testosterone to the eugonadal range in hypogonadal patients with either unilateral or bilateral varicocele.