Varicocele management - a comparison of palomo versus inguinal approach

The purpose of this work was to find presentations of "varicocele and compare the results of Palomo versus Inguinal Approach". It is a prospective randomized study of 52 cases of varicocele over 2 years from Jan 2006 to Dec 2007 at Surgical Unit, Allama Iqbal Medical College / Jinnah Hospital Lahore. Presentation, indication for surgery, complications and results of palomo versus inguinal approach for surgery of varicocele are main variable compared. The mean age was 26.6 years. The swelling was left sided in 65.4% [n=34], right sided in 9.6% [n=5], and bilateral in 25% [n=13]. The clinical presentation was a dragging sensation in 2 cases [7.7%] infertility in 9 cases [17.3%] and for fitness reasons 15 cases [28.8%]. The collective postoperative infection rate was 1.95%. Haematoma formation in 2 cases [7.7%] in inguinal and 1 case [3.9%] of palomo operation. In 1 case [3.9%] of inguinal approach there was hydrocele formation at 1 year. No testicular atrophy noticed in immediate post operative period in both groups. In 2 [7.7%] patients of palomo group there was no symptomatic relief. In inguinal group in 1 patient [3.9%] there was no symptomatic relief. It was concluded that palomo operation is better than inguinal approach as there are less complications and decreased recurrence rate. However fertility is improved in both groups almost equally