Comparison of testis volume between patients with clinical left-sided varicocele and healthy controls

Varicocele stands as one of the leading factors contributing to male infertility. Limited investigations have attempted to unravel the correlation between varicocele and testicular volume. The aim of the current work was to compare testicular dimensions among participants with or without left-sided varicocele. This case-control investigation involved 35 males diagnosed with clinical left-sided varicocele and 34 individuals without any known abnormalities. Scrotal color Doppler ultrasound was administered to all participants as part of the assessment. There were no notable disparities observed in the average size of the right testicle between the control (14.04 mL) and varicocele (13.76 mL) groups (p = 0.44). In contrast, a substantial discrepancy was noted in the average size of the left testicle, with healthy controls exhibiting higher volumes compared to the varicocele group (14.03 mL vs. 10.62 mL; p 0.001). Furthermore, the total testicular volume mean was significantly elevated in the control cohort in contrast to the varicocele cohort (28.08 mL vs. 24.39 mL; p 0.001). Notably, the discrepancy in the mean size of testicles was notably greater in men with clinical left-sided varicocele compared to those without varicocele (3.13 ± 1.67 mL vs. 0.37 ± 0.24 mL; p 0.001). While no statistically marked divergence was noted in the average volumes of right and left testicles within the control group (p = 0.96), individuals with left-sided varicocele exhibited a significant disparity between the sizes of the right and left testicles (13.76 mL and 10.62 mL; p 0.001). Varicocele is strongly correlated with reduced volume of testicles. Therefore, measuring testicular volume can be a valuable tool to predict the incidence of varicocele, semen quality and infertility.