Patient selection:
(1) male with painful varicocele
(2) normospermia
(3) failure of conservative therapy (NSAID, scrotal support, limted activities)
Outcomes:
(1) complete response: postoperative pain score 0
(2) partial response: (pain score post) / (pain score before) * 100% < 50%.
(3) nonresponder: not partial or complete response
Parameters:
(1) number of veins ligated
(2) preoperative pain level on a VAS (from 1 to 10)
(3) duration of pain in months
|
Parameter
|
Finding
|
Points
|
|
number of veins ligated
|
<= 7
|
0
|
|
|
> 7
|
1
|
|
preoperative pain
|
<= 6
|
0
|
|
|
> 6
|
1
|
|
duration of pain
|
<= 9 months
|
0
|
|
|
> 9 months
|
1
|
total score =
= SUM(points for all 3 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 3
• The higher the score the more likely that the man will respond to therapy..
Limitations:
• An observational study with relatively small number of patients who were not matched.
