High ligation of the spermatic vein and sperm DNA fragmentation / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of high ligation of the spermatic vein (HLSV) on DNA fragmentation in varicocele (VC) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four VC patients underwent HLSV. Sperm motion indexes and the results of papanicolaou staining and DNA fragmentation detection were analyzed before and 3 months after the operation according to the WHO guidelines.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with pre-operation, HLSV achieved a significant increase in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.01), and remarkable decreases in DNA fragmentation, sperm deformity index (SDI) and multiple anomalies index (MAI) (P < 0.01). The patients also showed significant increases in sperm concentration and the percentages of grade b sperm (P < 0.05) and grade a and a + b sperm (P < 0.01) after the operation. The post-operative percentages of sperm DNA fragmentation in those with grades I - III VC were markedly lower (P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference from that in those with subclinical VC (P > 0.05). The percentage of big-halo sperm was significantly increased (P < 0.01), while those of the medium-, small- and non-halo sperm remarkably decreased (P < 0.01) after HLSV.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HLSV can effectively improve the sperm quality of VC patients.</p>