[Percutaneous sclerotherapy of testicular vein insufficiency in persistent and recurrent varicocele].

Among 1217 retrograde phlebographies of left-sided idiopathic varicoceles 66 patients presented because of persistence or recurrence of varicocele, 34 of them after operation and 32 after sclerotherapy. After operation without success there was always - except for one case - a reflux passing the site of ligature. If persistence or recurrence of varicocele occurred after sclerotherapy, the testicular (internal spermatic) vein was most often found to be obliterated at the junction with the renal vein and the sonographically proven reflux went via collaterals or unidentified veins which prevented a repeat sclerotherapy. In 12 out of 32 patients after sclerotherapy a persistent main stem of the testicular vein allowed a second attempt of sclerotherapy. If sclerotherapy in patients after operation or previous sclerotherapy could be performed, it was an effective, low risk procedure on an outpatient basis just as in primary sclerotherapy of testicular vein insufficiency causing varicocele.