Klinik ya da subklinik varikosel saptanan hastalarda safenofemoral bileskenin yetmezlik yönünden degerlendirilmesi gerekli mi?

Objective: It was aimed to evaluate the frequency of incompetence of saphenofemoral junction in young men with clinic or subclinic varicocele by color Doppler ultrasound.

Material and Methods: One hundred and thirty young men were included in this study. After a standardized physical examination, each case was evaluated for the presence of varicocele with Doppler ultrasonography. Varicocele was diagnosed when pampiniform plexus vein measured more than 3 mm in diameter on ultrasound and when there was evidence of venous reflux. Varicocele found on clinical examination and detected by Doppler examination were defined as clinical varicocele. Varicocele detected by Doppler examinaton, in which no varicocele was found on physical examination were defined as subclinical varicocele. 'All patients saphenofemoral junctions' were evaluated to determine the prevalence of incompetence of saphenofemoral junction with Doppler ultrasonography.

Results: Incompetence of saphenofemoral junction were found in 38 of the patients with clinical varicocele (66.7%), in 25 of the patients with subclinical varicocele (59.5%) and in 9 of the patients (29.0%) who had no varicocele. In the cases of clinical and subclinical varicocele, incidence of incompetence of saphenofemoral junction was found to be statistically higher than in the cases of undetected varicocele(p<0.01-p<0.05). Among the patients with clinical and subclinical varicocele, there was no difference in the incidence of incompetence of saphenofemoral junction (p>0.05).

Conclusion: We found a positive correlation between subclinical varicocele, clinical varicocele and the incompetence of saphenofemoral junction. We think that Doppler examination of the saphenofemoral junction can be a useful a method for early diagnosis of venous insufficiency of the lower limb when clinical and subclinical varicocele are found. So we can avoid serious complications that can occur due to untreated venous insufficiency.