ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the semen quality and sperm morphology in the patients with different grades of varicocele. Methods Semen from 121 patients with varicocele which were divided into three groups, gradel, grade Ⅱ and grade Ⅲ, were studied and those of 23 normal male were taken as the control. Semen analysis was performed with the methods described in the WHO manual and sperm morphology was evaluated by WHO cri-teria. Results A significant reduction of semen quality and sperm morphology and an increase of small oval head, tapering head and amorphous head sperm were found in patients with different grades of varicocele compa-ring with those of the control. There was no difference in routine analysis between different groups. A reducetion of normal morphology percentage in grade Ⅲ were found comparing with grade Ⅱ (P<0.01). An increase of a-morphous head sperm in grade Ⅲ was found comparing with that of sperm in grade Ⅱ (P <0.01). Canclusions The routine semen analysis can not distinguish seminal damage between different grades of varicocele, but the sperm morphology can reflect the sperm state. Therefore, the patients with varicocele should not only get routine semen analysis but also check the sperm morphology.