An interventional study of Single Infrapubic Microsurgical Bilateral Varicocelectomy and Bilateral Subinguinal Microsurgical Varicocelectomy in Bilateral Varicocele and Male Infertility, sponsored by Beni-Suef University. Recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to male participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-16.
Sponsored by Beni-Suef University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Bilateral varicocele is commonly treated by microsurgical varicocelectomy. The conventional bilateral subinguinal approach usually requires two separate skin incisions, one on each side. A single midline infrapubic approach may allow bilateral microsurgical repair through one incision and may reduce access-related morbidity.
This prospective randomized controlled trial will compare single infrapubic microsurgical bilateral varicocelectomy with conventional bilateral subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy in adult men with clinically palpable bilateral varicocele. The study will evaluate postoperative pain, analgesic requirement, time to return to normal daily activity, operative time, scar satisfaction, wound complications, recurrence, and other safety outcomes during follow-up.
265 studies on the registry are indexed under Infertility, Male; 62 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 80 across 171 interventional studies indexed under Infertility, Male.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants allocated to this arm will undergo bilateral microsurgical varicocelectomy through a single midline infrapubic skin incision. The right and left spermatic cords will be approached sequentially through the same incision under microscopic or high-magnification surgical loupes with microsurgical capability. Dilated spermatic veins will be ligated while preserving the testicular artery or arteries, lymphatic vessels, vas deferens, and vasal vessels.
Procedure: Single Infrapubic Microsurgical Bilateral Varicocelectomy
Participants allocated to this arm will undergo conventional bilateral subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy through two separate standard subinguinal incisions, one on each side. Each spermatic cord will be isolated at the subinguinal level under microscopic or high-magnification surgical loupes with microsurgical capability. Dilated spermatic veins will be ligated while preserving the testicular artery or arteries, lymphatic vessels, vas deferens, and vasal vessels.
Procedure: Bilateral Subinguinal Microsurgical Varicocelectomy
Bilateral microsurgical varicocelectomy performed through a single midline infrapubic skin incision. The right and left spermatic cords will be approached sequentially through the same incision under microscopic or high-magnification surgical loupes with microsurgical capability. Dilated spermatic veins will be ligated while preserving the testicular artery or arteries, lymphatic vessels, vas deferens, and vasal vessels.
Conventional bilateral microsurgical varicocelectomy performed through two separate standard subinguinal incisions, one on each side. Each spermatic cord will be isolated at the subinguinal level under microscopic or high-magnification surgical loupes with microsurgical capability. Dilated spermatic veins will be ligated while preserving the testicular artery or arteries, lymphatic vessels, vas deferens, and vasal vessels.
Postoperative Pain Score
Postoperative pain will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale. The scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate worse postoperative pain.
Time frame: 6 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days after surgery
Analgesic Requirement
Analgesic requirement will be assessed by recording the total number and dose of analgesic tablets and/or injections consumed by the participant during the first 7 postoperative days. Higher analgesic use indicates greater postoperative analgesic requirement.
Time frame: During the first 7 postoperative days
Time to Return to Normal Daily Activity
Time to return to normal daily activity will be defined as the number of days from surgery until the participant resumes usual non-strenuous daily activities. A shorter time indicates faster postoperative recovery.
Time frame: From surgery until return to normal daily activity, assessed up to 30 days after surgery
Total Operative Time
Total operative time will be defined as the time from skin incision to completion of skin closure, measured in minutes.
Time frame: During surgery
Scar Satisfaction and Cosmetic Outcome
Scar satisfaction and cosmetic outcome will be assessed using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale version 2.0. The scale includes two components: the Patient Scale and the Observer Scale. The Patient Scale assesses pain, itching, color, stiffness, thickness, and irregularity. The Observer Scale assesses vascularity, pigmentation, thickness, relief, pliability, and surface area. Each item is scored from 1 to 10, where 1 indicates normal skin or no symptoms and 10 indicates the worst imaginable scar or the greatest difference from normal skin. The total score for each component ranges from 6 to 60. Higher scores indicate worse scar quality and lower scar satisfaction.
Time frame: 6 months after surgery
Varicocele Recurrence
Varicocele recurrence will be assessed by clinical examination and/or color Doppler ultrasound. Recurrence will be reported as the number and percentage of participants with recurrent varicocele.
Time frame: 6 months after surgery
Conversion or Access Failure
Conversion or access failure will be recorded when the allocated surgical approach cannot be completed as planned and an additional or alternative incision or approach is required to safely complete the procedure.
Time frame: During surgery
Wound Complications
Wound complications will be assessed by recording the occurrence of surgical site infection, hematoma, seroma, wound dehiscence, or delayed wound healing. The outcome will be reported as the number and percentage of participants with any wound complication.
Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared because the study includes sensitive reproductive health data, semen analysis results, infertility-related information, and treatment-related clinical information. Only aggregated, de-identified results will be reported in publications or presentations. Any future sharing of de-identified participant-level data would require additional approval from the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University.
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