Use of Glue in Varicocele Embolization: A Single Centre Experience and Literature Review

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the patient’s outcome from symptomatic varicocele treated with two methods of embolization techniques one with coils combined with sodium tetradecyl sulphate (STS) and the other technique with N-butyl-2-cyanacrylate (Glue) in terms of immediate technical and clinical success, complications rates, procedure time, and assess any significance difference in the outcome between the 2 techniques. Method(s): A retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of varicocele embolization procedures performed between April 1st 2015 and July 22nd 2017 was undertaken. A total of 84 were included in our study, 41 using glue (48.8%, mean age of patients 31.98 years) and 43 using coils (51.2 %, mean age of patients 32.91 years). Demographic data, indications, complications and outcomes were compared. Result(s): A total of 32 procedures (38.1%) were motivated by infertility (glue = 15, coils + STS = 17), 33 (39.3%) by testicular pain (glue = 14, coils +STS = 19), and 19 (22.6%) by both (glue = 12, coils +STS = 7). Minor complications were observed in 2 cases (4.9%) in glue and in 5 cases after coil + STS embolization (11.6 %). Patients reported improvement in 65.9 % with glue sample, and 58.1% with coils + STS. Both agents showed similar success rates. The patients who were referred for testicular pain reported 89.5% improvement, while those patients referred for infertility reported 42.1 % improvement. Conclusion(s): Varicocele embolization is a safe and effective procedure. Embolization with glue gives a similar outcome compared with coils combined with STS.

 

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Publication History

Article published online:
11 May 2021