Laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the adolescent male.

Laparoscopic varicocelectomy was introduced in the early 1990s as an alternative to the Palomo varicocelectomy. Since its introduction, the procedure has gained favor within the pediatric urology community. Laparoscopic varicocelectomy has been performed using the intraperitoneal, preperitoneal, and lumbotomy approaches with almost the same results as those obtained with the Palomo procedure. The complication rates are relatively low for this procedure except for the hydrocele rate, which has been similar to that encountered with the open Palomo approach. In this article, the results obtained with this procedure and the technique are explored. As more pediatric urologists become adept with laparoscopic techniques, we will continue to see an increase in the number of cases performed using this technique.