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S18-6
(PP)
THE ROLE OF ELASTOSONOGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF TESTIS FOR
PEDIATRIC VARICOCELE
Nicola ZAMPIERI, Marta PERETTI, Gabriella SCIRÈ, Federica BIANCHI and Francesco CAMOGLIO
University of Verona, Policlinico G.B.Rossi, Department of Surgical Sciences, Pediatric Surgical Unit, University of
Verona,, Verona, ITALY
PURPOSE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of elastosonography in the evaluation of testicular elasticity as predictive
sign of testicular damage, and to evaluate this results at follow-up.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
26 boys (9-13 years old) with untreated varicocele (bilateral in 6 boys and left unilateral in 20) and 24 age-matched
healthy subjects underwent elastosonography. A third group (15 patients) treated for varicocele and testicular
hypotrophy were evaluated before surgery and 6 months later. Varicocele was classified following the Dubin and Amelar
classification and spermatic vein reflux was classified following a modified Hirsch classification. The testicular elasticity
was expressed as a three-point scale (1: normal; 2: slightly to moderately stiffer than normal; 3: severely stiffer than
normal).
RESULTS
4 patients had grade I varicocele, II in 18 patients had grade II varicocele and 10 patients had grade III varicocele; 6
cases had "short" spermatic vein reflux, 12 patients had "medium" spermatic vein reflux and 17 patients had continuous
spermatic vein reflux. The elasticity was 1 in all 64 normal testes; in the testes with varicocele it was graded 2 in 18
cases and 3 in 14 cases. The differences in the degree of elasticity between normal testes and testes with varicocele and
between continuous and medium/short spermatic vein reflux were highly significant (P < 0.001 in both cases); patients
without varicocele didn't showed differences between testes; patients treated for varicocele had a recovery of elasticity
at 6 months after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
Testes with varicocele are significantly stiffer than normal ones, with a positive correlation to the clinical grade and
significantly to the grade of spermatic vein reflux.