Varicocele, hypoxia and male infertility. Fluid Mechanics analysis of the impaired testicular venous drainage system.
Gat Y, Zukerman Z, Chakraborty J, Gornish M. Andrology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

BACKGROUND: Varicocele is a bilateral vascular disease, involving a network of collaterals and small,
retroperitoneal bypasses. It was considered a predominantly unilateral (left-sided) disease. Its
pathophysiology has not been clearly delineated and the treatments offered do not seem to be effective.
Based on our findings (i) varicocele is a bilateral disease; (ii) the disease is expressed earlier in the left
side and is more intense because the blood column is longer in the left side than the right; (iii) partial
treatment to the left side only and ignoring bypasses is not adequate to correct the problem; (vi)
thermography alone or combined with ultrasonography with special attention to the bilaterality of
the disease are the best non-invasive tools for its detection.