The veins of the spermatic cord are abnormally wide and tortuous in both primary and secondary varicocele. The primary form is by far the more common; among the causes of secondary varicocele are renal tumor (SPITTEL et coIl. 1959), hydronephrosis (WHITE 1914), aberrant renal artery (CAMPBELL 1944), and arching of the spermatic artery over the renal vein (NOTKOVICH 1955). The pathogenesis of primary variococele has not been clarified. BRODNY et coIl. (1955) stated that it most often starts at puberty and occurs in about 10 % of the male population, on the left side in about 90 %, bilaterally in 8 % and on the right side in 2 % of these. The clinical importance and treatment of the condition as well as the pathogenesis are dealt with in another report by the present authors (FRITjOFSSON et coll.).The scrotal veins may be considered as lying in two groups: a deep group and a surface network group (JAVERT & CLARK 1944). The deep system comprises the pampiniform plexus, the internal and external spermatic veins and the ductus deferens veins. The pampiniform plexus consists of a network of veins which originate in the testis and epididymis; it is drained by the three aforementioned larger vessels. The internal spermatic vein passes through the
The roentgenologic and anatomical appearances of the left gonadal vein were discussed by the present authors in two previous papers (1965). It was stated in the first paper that at aortography retrograde contrast filling of the left gonadal vein occurred in men as well as in women and this was considered in relation to the anatomical conditions present in an autopsy material. An absence of valves or incompetent valves in the cranial portion of the gonadal vein existed in more than half of the cases, equally divided according to sex. Valves were more often absent in the men while the women more often had incompetent valves. The width of the left gonadal vein was more closely analyzed in the second paper; the mean circumference figures indicated that the ovarian vein was significantly wider than the spermatic vein and that pregnancy was a contributory factor in this difference. The close relationship between pregnancy and permanent widening of the ovarian vein was discussed. HODGKINSON (1953) measured the width of the ovarian vein during operation in 8 pregnant women. These measurements were made in 6 instances on the left side, in one on the right and in one instance bilaterally; in all of them the
In earlier reports ( A h l b e r g , B a r t l e y and C h i d e k e l ) it has been shown that at aortography retrograde contrast filling of the left gonadal vein occurs in both men and women, that the anatomic basis for this finding consists of either the absence of valves in the gonadal vein ostium (most common in men) or incompetent valves in the gonadal vein (most common in women), that the ovarian vein is statistically significantly wider than the spermatic vein and that the ovarian vein is wider and more often has incompetent valves in relation to multiple pregnancy than to no more than one pregnancy.With these facts as a background it was questioned whether or not the retrograde flow in the left gonadal vein could have pathological importance in relation to, for example, the occurrence of pelvic varicosities in women. In order to study this problem the cooperation of a gynzcologist (K.-0. E d l u n d h ) was elicited to make clinical examinations and to remit patients for r e n tgenological investigation.Technique. Selective venography of the left renal vein was performed after direct puncture of the femoral vein. Complications were not encountered.The nzatcrial comprised 45 patients. At clinical examination the possibility of pelvic varicosities was considered for 34 of these. In 21 of the 45 patients pelvic varicosities were observed rcciitgenologically. The mean diameter of the ovarian veins in
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.