OBJECTIVES: We performed a study including 120 patients with the diagnosis of varicocele (testicular Doppler ultrasound), from June 2004 to July 2006, analyzing the following variables: surgical time, hospital stay, postoperative analgesic requirements, complications and return to social-working activities. RESULTS: 120 patients between 18 and 42 years of age underwent surgery. Mean surgical time was 25.07 minutes. A minority of the patients were discharged the following day (difficulties with transportation), the rest were treated as outpatient. Almost no postoperative analgesic drugs were employed, only three patients required pain treatment. Only three minor complications appeared during or after surgery. All patients had a fast recovery back to their social-working activities (between 15 and 21 days). CONCLUSIONS: We consider laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins may be considered an effective method for the treatment of patients with varicocele. It is the treatment of choice for bilateral varicocele, obese patients, after the failure of conventional techniques, in patients with history of inguinal surgery, and when simultaneous laparoscopic treatment of other pathologies is necessary. We also emphasize the importance it plays as training in the learning curve for the development of this technique.
OBJECTIVES: We performed a study including 120 patients with the diagnosis of varicocele (testicular Doppler ultrasound), from June 2004 to July 2006, analyzing the following variables: surgical time, hospital stay, postoperative analgesic requirements, complications and return to social-working activities. RESULTS: 120 patients between 18 and 42 years of age underwent surgery. Mean surgical time was 25.07 minutes. A minority of the patients were discharged the following day (difficulties with transportation), the rest were treated as outpatient. Almost no postoperative analgesic drugs were employed, only three patients required pain treatment. Only three minor complications appeared during or after surgery. All patients had a fast recovery back to their social-working activities (between 15 and 21 days). CONCLUSIONS: We consider laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins may be considered an effective method for the treatment of patients with varicocele. It is the treatment of choice for bilateral varicocele, obesepatients, after the failure of conventional techniques, in patients with history of inguinal surgery, and when simultaneous laparoscopic treatment of other pathologies is necessary. We also emphasize the importance it plays as training in the learning curve for the development of this technique.