Varicocele

Men can have varicose veins of the testicles and scrotum, called varicocele. This condition may cause the testicles to shrink or may lead to infertility problems.

As in varicose veins of the legs, the veins in the testicles and scrotum have valves that move the blood in the proper direction. When those valves become weakened, blood is allowed to back up and pool, causing the veins of the testicles and scrotum to enlarge, causing a varicocele.

Interventional radiologists can perform a nonsurgical treatment called varicocele embolization to seal the veins. Image-guided techniques are used to direct a catheter through the femoral vein to the affected area. Contrast dye is used to help visualize the area and then the offensive vein is blocked using coils, balloons, or particles. This causes the blood to be redirected to other healthy veins.

Learn more about varicocele from the SIR.