Varicocele is mostly an idiopathic condition, that is, it arises due to factors that cannot be defined and recognized; in rare circumstances, however, it may also be a secondary condition to tumors with an abdominal or pelvic site. In most cases, varicocele is asymptomatic; more rarely, it is responsible for disorders, such as swelling and scrotal pain, and can lead to complications, such as testicular atrophy and male infertility. Generally, for the diagnosis of varicocele, it is essential to combine an accurate physical examination with a scrotal ultrasound; the latter investigation is the diagnostic confirmation exam. If it does not cause symptoms and does not affect the patient's fertility, varicocele does not require any specific treatment; on the contrary, if it is symptomatic or if it is responsible for infertility, it requires a specific therapy, which is surgical.
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