Significant alterations of serum hormone levels in the spermatic vein plexus of patients with varicoceles

The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of hormone variation between the peripheral blood and spermatic vein plexus in patients with varicoceles. A total of 23 patients diagnosed with varicoceles were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent a testicular artery-sparing microsurgical varicocelectomy. During the operation, a blood sample from the ipsilateral spermatic vein plexus and a peripheral blood sample were collected. A radioimmunoassay was performed to determine the total testosterone, free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and oestradiol levels. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the albumin level. The mean age of the patients was 32.3 +/- 9.3 years. Compared with the hormone level in the peripheral blood, the total testosterone, free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and oestrogen levels were significantly increased in the left or right spermatic vein plexus (P < 0.05). There were no differences in the albumin levels in the peripheral blood and spermatic vein plexus (P > 0.05). The mean total testosterone, free testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and oestradiol levels in the left spermatic vein plexus were 10.8-fold, 29.0-fold, 2.0-fold, and 26.6-fold those of the peripheral blood. The hormone concentration in the spermatic vein plexus was significantly higher than that in the peripheral blood in patients with varicoceles.