Background: Varicocele is a vein anomaly affecting 15% of adult males, with prevalence increasing to 35% in men seeking infertility evaluation and 81% in those with secondary infertility. It is primarily due to a prevalent and remediable factor.

Objective: The objective of this study is to do a comparative analysis of the post-operative outcomes between open inguinal varicocelectomy and laparoscopic varicocelectomy.

Methods: The present investigation was undertaken within the surgical department of (Hospital name) over a duration of two years, spanning from December 2019 to December 2021. This study employed a prospective design and involved the inclusion of a cohort comprising 50 patients diagnosed with clinically severe varicocele. The participants were allocated into two distinct groups. Group A consisted of 25 individuals who underwent laparoscopic surgery, while Group B consisted of 25 individuals who received an open approach.

Results: In our study comprising a cohort of 50 patients, we observed a range of ages from 20 to 49 years. Among these patients, 19 reported experiencing scrotal pain, 25 exhibited testicular swelling, and 7 presented with infertility. The mean operation time for laparoscopic varicocelectomy was 48 minutes, while for open surgery it was 57 minutes. Interestingly, we found that the postoperative analgesic requirement was similar in both groups. Furthermore, the average duration of hospital stay was 35.6 hours for laparoscopic procedures and 50.6 hours for open procedures. The duration of the operative procedure in Laparoscopic Varicocelectomy was found to be 17.25 ± 2.1 minutes in cases where the condition was unilateral, whereas it was 29.32 ± 2.8 minutes in situations where the condition was bilateral. The average length of surgery for unilateral cases in Open Varicocelectomy was found to be 42.5 ± 3.4 minutes, whereas for bilateral presentations, it was 67.25 ± 2.5 minutes. The observed difference between the two groups was found to be statistically significant, with a p-value of less than 0.001 . The recurrence rate was higher in laparoscopic group.

Conclusion: Laparoscopic varicocelectomy offers similar outcomes to open techniques, with minimal morbidity and shorter hospitalization periods. It treats bilateral varicoceles without extra incisions and has a higher recurrence rate, but overall patient satisfaction makes it a preferred surgical technique.

Keywords: laparoscopic varicocelectomy, Open varicocelectomy, Infertility.

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Md. Atiqul Haque Sarder

PCPS, MCPS, FACS, FICS, FMAS, Surgical Specialist, Department of Surgery Combined Military Hospital Bogura, Bangladesh