[Varicocele--results following early treatment of children and adolescents].

Between 1970 and 1987, 50 children and adolescents aged between 9 and 17 were operated for left grade II and III varicocele. All cases involved high resection of the spermatic vessels according to the methods of Palomo and Bernardi. Out of this group, 21 adult men aged between 20 and 29 were rechecked later on. The following were found: 1 left-hand recurrence, twice one right-hand varicocele, three times one hydrocele testis due to a lesion of lymphatic vessels. The anatomical result was very good in 95% of cases, with full regression of the venous convolution. The spermiograms of the patients who had an early operation were compared with those of a control group of untreated varicocele patients of the same age group. In the patients who had had the operation, the volumes of the left testicles are larger than, or identical to, those of the right testicles. Due to the change in testicular blood flow brought about by the operation, testicular atrophy is stopped during puberty. The quality of the spermiograms of the patients who had early surgery was better and the percentage of normal sperms is higher than in the control group. We advocate this operation for children and adolescents.