Varicocelectomy: changes in Resazurin Reduction test.

The Resazurin Reduction Test was performed on semen specimens from 27 patients with varicocele before and after varicocelectomy. The increases in both sperm concentration and motility were slight 3 months after surgery, but sperm concentration significantly improved 6 months after surgery (P < 0.01). The positive rate in the Resazurin Test significantly increased 3 and 6 months after surgery (each, P < 0.05) and the resazurin grade also increased at these times (each, P < 0.01). Of 13 patients with improved seminal findings, 7 had negative reactions during the preoperative Resazurin Test and 3 of these 7 patients continued to have negative reactions, while the other 4 had positive reaction after surgery. Of 14 patients with no improvement of semen characteristics, 6 continued to have negative reactions after surgery, but 4 with negative reactions before treatment showed positive reactions postoperatively. The Resazurin Test seems to assess fertility potential accurately after varicocelectomy.