Correlation Between Duration of Varicocele and Testicular Damage in an Experimental Rat Model

Park, Chang Soo; Nam, Hyung Jong; Park, Hyun Jun; Park, Nam Cheol

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the damage to the testicles caused by a varicocele over time with using an experimental varicocele rat model and by measuring the testicular weight, the status of oxidative stress, the hormonal changes and the degeneration of the tubules.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty male Sprague-Dawley white rats, 10 weeks old, weighing 350-360g each, had experimentally induced left varicoceles; 30 rats of the same age were used as a control group. All rats in the varicocele and control groups were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. The testicular weight, the levels of serum reactive oxygen species, serum testosterone, LH and FSH, as well as the degenerative changes of the tubules were measured. Statistical analyses for comparisons between the two groups were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test; probability values of less than 0.05 were considered significant.
RESULTS
Degenerative changes of the tubules on H-E stain and the testicular weight loss were observed 4 weeks after surgery. There was a significant difference in the serum ROS between the varicocele group and the control group at eight weeks after surgery. However, there were no significant differences found in the serum testosterone, LH or FSH.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study with using a rat model showed that a varicocele may cause progression of the testicular damage that induced by the varicocele over time. If a further study shows that this damage can be reversed, then there may be a critical period for treatment of men before infertility develops.