Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal (Jan 2023)

A comparison of loupe-assisted and non-loupe-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy

  • Chike John Okeke,
  • Rufus Wale Ojewola,
  • Emmanuel Ajibola Jeje,
  • Kehinde Habeeb Tijani,
  • Moses Adebisi Ogunjimi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_39_23
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 3
pp. 218 – 225

Abstract

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Introduction: Varicocele is a treatable aetiology of male infertility. Magnification with surgical loupe has been associated with improved outcome and reduced morbidity than the conventional technique without magnification. Objective: To compare the outcomes of two techniques of subinguinal varicocelectomy, with a surgical loupe and without. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective randomised hospital-based study. Forty-six patients were randomised to two arms – Group A: loupe-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy (LASV) and Group B: open subinguinal varicocelectomy without Loupe (OSV). They all had their semen and hormonal parameters compared preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Post-operative complications were also assessed. P 0.05). Follicle-stimulating hormone decline was significant in the OSV group at 3 and 6 months, P = 0.010 and 0.021, respectively. There was no difference in other hormonal parameters both at 3 and 6 months (P > 0.05). The pregnancy rate in each arm of study was 4.3%. All complications occurred in Group B. Conclusion: Both techniques resulted in improvement in seminal fluid parameters. All complications occurred in the arm that had subinguinal varicocelectomy without loupe. Loupe-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy is safe and effective.

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