Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2001 Jun; 21(6): 412-5.

[Comparative clinical study on treatment of varicocele caused infertility by tongling granule and surgical operation]

Qi GC, Lu JK, Kan QL.

Department of Male Infertility, Beizhan Hospital, Shanghai 200085.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Tongjing granule (TJG) in treating varicocele caused infertility. METHODS: Comparative observation was carried on 75 cases of male infertility caused by moderate or severe varicocele with abnormal semen, they were divided into two groups: the 44 patients in the TCM group treated with TJG and the 31 patients in the operation group treated by surgical operation (high ligation of spermatic vein and/or inferior epigastric venous bypass). All patients were followed up periodically to observe the amount, survival rate and activity of sperm by computerized automatic seminal analyser (CASA), as well as the occurrence of pregnancy in their partner. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in various parameters between the two groups. After treatment, the improvement of seminal density, amount of active sperms and forward moving sperms were lower in the TCM group than that in the operation group, but according to CASA, the improvement of TCM group is better than that of operation group. There was insignificance in the operation group between pre- and post-treatment, P > 0.05. CONCLUSION: TJG could treat the varicocele caused infertility with the clinical effect similar to the surgical operation, and was superior in improving motility of sperm. It indicates that surgical operation could only improve the local lesion, but TJG could modulate the general condition of patients also.