The Effects of Experimental Varicocele on Testis in Adolescent Rats

Kim, Keon Seok; Choi, Hwang

Abstract

Varicocele has been implicated as a cause of infertility in adult men, but little has been known on the significance of varicocele in adolescents. We created experimental varicoceles by partial ligation of the left renal vein in rats at 4 weeks, 7 weeks and 12 weeks of age to understand the effects of varicocele on testis in different stages of development ; preadolescence, adolescence and adulthood. Effects of varicocele on testis were studied with observation of the changes of testicular weights and testicular histology 4 weeks and 8 weeks after creation of varicocele. The experimental groups in which varicoceles were induced at 4 weeks and 12 weeks of age showed minimal testicular weight changes and minimal histologic changes. The experimental group of 7 weeks of age showed the marked changes on testis ; mean weight of the left testis was significantly reduced in experimental group (1.03+/-0.31) compared with control group (1.51+/-0.12g) (p<0,05). Histologic changes such as degeneration of germinal epithelium, tubular atrophy, Sertoli cell hyperplasia and interstitial edema were more frequently observed in this group. We measured the mean seminiferous tubular diameter as a means of quantitative evaluation of spermatogenesis and found it decreased significantly in this group (219+/-37 micrometer) compared with control group (270+/-141 micrometer) (p<0.05). Above results suggest that varicocele which occurred in adolescence has the most damaging effects on testis.