Varicocele Surgery in Sharjah

What is varicocele surgery?

Varicocele surgery is a procedure that closes off swollen veins above the testicle. A varicocele is a cluster of widened veins in the scrotum, similar to varicose veins in the leg. Small valves in these veins normally keep blood moving upwards. When the valves weaken, blood pools, the veins stretch, and the area around the testicle becomes warmer than it should be.

In surgery the urologist identifies the faulty veins and ties or seals them, while protecting the artery that feeds the testicle and the fine lymph channels beside it. Blood then drains through other, healthy veins. The testicle keeps its blood supply, and the swollen veins gradually shrink.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the consultant urologist performs varicocele surgery in-house, as microsurgical ligation or laparoscopic ligation. The wider picture of scrotal lumps is covered on the testicular conditions page.

Who needs it

Varicoceles are common in teenagers and young men, and most are on the left side. The left testicular vein joins the kidney vein at a right angle, which makes pooling more likely on that side. Many men have a varicocele and feel well, and in that case watching it is often right.

Surgery is considered for:

• a dull, dragging ache in the scrotum, worse after standing, exercise or heat, that eases when lying down
• a teenager whose testicle on the varicocele side is growing more slowly than the other
• a man with a varicocele that can be felt and a semen analysis showing reduced sperm quality, when a couple is trying to conceive
• a varicocele large enough to be visible, often described as a bag of worms

Assessment includes an examination standing and lying down, and a Doppler ultrasound of the scrotum, which shows vein size and backflow. For fertility questions, a semen analysis is arranged, and the wider work-up is described on the male infertility treatment page. A varicocele that appears suddenly, or only on the right side, is checked first with a scan of the abdomen.

The main alternatives are supportive underwear and simple pain relief for mild ache, and, for fertility, assisted conception. The urologist explains which route fits your goals.

What happens

Varicocele surgery is usually a day case under general anaesthesia.

In microsurgical ligation, the surgeon makes a short incision low in the groin, just above the scrotum, and works under high magnification. At this level the veins, artery and lymph channels are small and close together, and magnification lets the surgeon tie each faulty vein while keeping the artery and lymph channels intact. The skin is closed with dissolving stitches.

In laparoscopic ligation, the surgeon works through small keyhole incisions in the abdomen and seals the testicular veins higher up, where they are fewer and larger. This approach can treat both sides in the same session.

The urologist explains why one approach suits you, based on whether one or both sides are affected, previous surgery, and your fertility goals. You go home once you are comfortable and walking.

Preparing for it

You have a pre-operative check and an anaesthetic review. If fertility is the reason, bring your semen analysis results and your partner's relevant results, because a couple's plan works best when both are known. Bring a list of medicines; blood thinners need a clear plan, and you receive fasting instructions.

Bring snug supportive underwear to wear home. Arrange a lift home. If you plan surgery around Ramadan, raise it early.

Afterwards

Mild swelling and bruising are expected. Wear supportive underwear, use a cold pack wrapped in cloth for short spells, and rest with your feet up. Keep the wound clean and dry; in the Sharjah heat, choose loose outer clothing and shower gently.

Desk work usually resumes sooner than driving jobs or manual work with lifting, and the urologist gives you a personal plan for exercise and sex. For fertility, sperm take several months to develop, so a repeat semen analysis is planned some months after surgery.

Contact the hospital urgently if the scrotum becomes very swollen or tense, the wound reddens or leaks, or you develop a fever. **Go to the emergency department straight away for sudden severe pain in the testicle.**

Cost and insurance

Many UAE insurance plans cover varicocele surgery for pain or a testicle that is shrinking, with pre-approval supported by the ultrasound report. Cover for surgery done mainly for fertility varies, and some plans exclude fertility treatment. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm cover and start approval early on 06 599 7777.