[Persistent varicocele following high ligation of the internal spermatic vein. Phlebography and vaso-occlusion with ethibloc].

The importance of phlebography and vaso-occlusion using ethibloc in diagnosis and treatment of the persistent varicocele following ligation ("Bernardis' technique") is demonstrated. We performed 280 surgical ligations of the internal spermatic vein. In 30 patients persistence of the varicocele was found. In 9 patients following phlebography embolisation of a long segment including smaller collaterals was performed using ethibloc. The other 21 patients were treated surgically because of unusual draining of the collaterals into renal capsular veins, into the hemiazygos vein and into renal segmental veins. In all cases following embolisation complete resolution of the varicocele was observed within 3 months.