Repair of Experimental Varicoceles in the Rat Long‐term Effects on Testicular Blood Flow and Temperature and Cauda Epididymidal Sperm Concentration and Motility

Abstract

The effects of varicocele and varicocele repair on testicular blood flow, temperature, sperm counts, and sperm motility were assessed in adult male rats. The duration of the experimental varicocele and the varicocele repair were three and two times as long, respectively, as that studied previously. Varicoceles were created by partial ligation of the left renal vein and repairs were accomplished by high ligation of the left spermatic vein. Testicular blood flow was determined by using the radiolabeled microsphere technique. Testicular temperature was taken via needle probe thermometer. Sperm samples were obtained by micropuncture of the cauda epididymidis, and were counted on a hemacytometer and observed for motility under the light microscope. Varicoceles were studied 100 days after their creation. Repairs were performed on varicoceles that had lasted 100 days and the animals were studied 60 days after repair. Mean testicular blood flow (ml/100 g tissue/min) was significantly increased (P less than 0.05) in animals with varicocele (left testis (LT) = 42.2 +/- 1.1, right testis (RT) = 39.1 +/- 1.2) when compared with normal controls (LT = 29.3 +/- 1.6, RT = 29.6 +/- 1.7), animals with varicocele repair (LT = 30.7 +/- 1.3, RT = 30.0 +/- 1.6), or sham-operated animals (LT = 29.7 +/- 1.4, RT = 31.1 +/- 1.4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent varicocoele management controversies

“…An increase in scrotal temperature with reversible changes in germ cell function and regrowth with surgical correction has been published in both animal models and adult varicocoele series (Saypol et al, 1981;Green et al, 1984;Hurt et al, 1986;Goldstein & Eid, 1989;Paul et al, 2009). Among 58 adolescent varicocoele patients, Salisz et al (1991) measured left and right scrotal and axillary skin temperatures simultaneously, and demonstrated that these patients had a significant bilateral elevation of the scrotal temperatures compared with the control subjects (n = 9).…”

Effects of Surgical Repair of Experimental Left Varicocele on Testicular Temperature, Spermatogenesis, Sperm Maturation, Endocrine Function, and Fertility in Rabbits

“…Miyagawa predetermined time after the induction of varicocele, and the effects of varicocelectomy can be evaluated at a set interval after surgical repair. However, although there have been many studies examining the effects of varicocelectomy on spermatogenesis, sperm maturation, testicular blood flow, and testicular temperature in rats and rabbits [7,10,211, there have been no studies evaluating the effect of surgery on fertility itself.…”

“…However, the rabbit seems to be a useful experimental model for the study of varicocele, because it is cheap and can be maintained easily, seminal plasma collection is simple, the testicular veins are readily accessible for blood collection, and it shows most of the varicocelerelated alterations observed in other animal varicocele models [ l , 7,8,10,13,15,19,[21][22][23]251. In addition, the rabbit left testicular vein does not drain into the renal vein, but instead terminates in the left lumbotesticular trunk which receives venous blood from the lateroposterior body wall [2].…”

Surgical Repair versus Medical Treatment of Varicocele in the Rat: Pharmacological Manipulation of the Varicocelized Testicle

“…Thus, it seems possible that the pharmacological stimulation of one or both of these cellular populations could improve sperm parame ters in varicocele patients. Early studies have already shown encouraging results for such therapy [3,4], Thus, The consequences of the surgical repair of experimen tal varicoceles have been studied in the rat [5], but there are no reports dealing with the action of therapeutic agents on the varicocelized testicle in an animal model. Since such an experiment could increase our understand ing of the pathophysiology of varicocele and enable com parison of the therapeutic effects of varicocele repair and pharmacological stimulation on testicular function, we performed a comparative study of medical and surgical therapy in rats.…”