Objective To determine the prevalence and site of varicocele and varicocele‐related testicular atrophy in children and adolescents.
Patients and methods The study included 4052 boys aged of 2–19 years, divided into four age groups; the findings of a physical examination, any testicular atrophy and testicular volume were recorded.
Results Varicocele was detected in 293 (7.2%) of the 4052 boys; the prevalence was 0.79% in those aged 2–6 years, 0.96% at 7–10 years, 7.8% at 11–14 years and 14.1% at 15–19 years. The prevalence was 0.92% in 1232 children aged 2–10 years and 11.0% in 2531 adolescents aged 11–19 years (P < 0.001). The prevalence increased significantly at age 13 years (P < 0.005). The varicocele was unilateral in 263 of the 293 (89.7%) boys with varicocele; of these, one (0.38%) was on the right and the others on the left side. Varicoceles were bilateral in 30 of 279 boys (10.8%) aged 11–19 years but none were detected in those aged < 11 years. Varicocele‐related testicular atrophy was not present in those aged < 11 years, but seven boys (7.3%) aged 11–14 years and 17 (9.3%) aged 15–19 years had testicular atrophy. The difference in prevalence between the last two age groups with atrophy was not significant.
Conclusion These findings support the view that varicocele is a progressive disease and that the prevalence of varicocele and testicular atrophy increases with the puberty.
