[Varicocele in children and adolescents. Review of a series of 58 cases].

5 to 25% of male adolescents present with a varicocele; only those cases inducing serious discomfort or affecting the development of the testis require surgical treatment. Nevertheless, the results of surgery are disappointing, with a high recurrence rate. Based on a better knowledge of testicular venous drainage, it appears that conventional high ligation of the spermatic vein (s) might not be sufficient to cure varicocele. Fifty-eight patients were operated upon using four different procedures. Only complete, proximal ligation of all of the visibly dilated veins seems to prevent recurrences with a follow-up of at least one year. However, out of eleven cases treated with this original procedure, one patient, already operated upon twice without success, developed secondary atrophy.