John J. Bauer, M.D.
www.flinturology.com Urology Services, Inc.
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Contents
General information
Pre-operative instructions
Risks and Complications
Detailed Surgery Description
Family waiting instructions
Post-operative instructions
Printing tip: If you want to print only one portion of this entire document, you should be able to do this depending on your software. To print a selection, highlight the section you want to print using your mouse, then click on print, and then in the print menu, choose "selection."
Terminology tip: If you come across words you don't understand, look them up in the On-Line Medical Dictionary?.
This procedure is performed to eliminate the dilated veins that periodically occur in the scrotum, it is most common on the left side above the testicle. These veins when dilated will feel like a "bag of worms". When the patient lays down these veins will empty just like those varicosities of the lower extremity called "varicose veins". The most common symptom is a dull aching pain with standing for long periods of time. These can get very large and in the young can cause testicular atrophy (shrink) and loss of volume. This has been shown to cause infertility if not corrected. Once corrected, the testicle experienced catch-up growth to become relatively normal in size. In the adult, the surgery is completed through an inguinal incision low in the abdomen and under the assistance of a surgical microscope. This helps avoid ligating the testicular artery and causing testicular death, not usually the desired outcome if done for infertility reasons. Despite this microscopic surgery, the artery can still be ligated. The vessels are extremely difficult to distinguish (artery versus vein). See also: Varicoceole.
Your pre-operative appointments
Before your surgery, you will be seen by the physician and the anesthesiologist, and when applicable, there is a pre-admission appointment with the hospital. Click here to read more details about these appointments, referred to as the Pre-Operative Work-Up.
Change In Health Status
Notify your surgeon if you experience any significant change in your health status: develop a cold, influenza, a bladder infection, diarrhea, or other infection, before your surgery.
Pre-Operative Medication Instructions
Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, please observe the following guidelines for taking your medicines before surgery:
Pre-Operative Diet Instructions
Unless specifically instructed otherwise by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, patients of all ages must observe the following diet restrictions before surgery:
Patients undergoing operative or diagnostic procedures involving sedation are required to refrain from eating, drinking or taking anything by mouth for a stated period prior to their surgery or procedure. The reason for this is to prevent complications caused by nausea or vomiting while you are unconscious. Should you vomit while in the unconscious state, the risk exists that the vomit may enter into your lungs causing serious complications such as pneumonia. These complications may result in an extension of your hospitalization following your surgical procedure. It is for this reason patients are often instructed to have nothing by mouth after midnight the night prior to your operation unless otherwise instructed by an anesthetist.
Pre-Operative Cleaning Instructions (bathing and showering instructions)
Pre-operative showers are to be taken the night before and the morning of surgery just prior to your arrival. All adults are required to take a shower using either a Betadine or Hibiclens Surgical Scrub antibacterial soap. The reason is to remove as much bacteria from your skin as possible prior to your surgery. If you are allergic to these products please notify your physician or nurse. Perform your shower as follows:
On The Day Of Surgery
The anesthesiologist will discuss with you the anesthetic most appropriate for your medical condition and procedure prior to surgery.
After your surgery you must be escorted/driven home by a responsible adult. You may take a taxi car or shuttle if accompanied by a responsible adult who can stay with you after the driver departs.
Time To Arrive For Your Surgery
During your Pre-Admission Interview, our Registered Nurse will provide you with the correct time to arrive for check-in prior to your surgery.
ARRIVAL TIME:
WHERE TO ARRIVE:
The risks and complications for this surgery are described in the "Counseling and Pre-Op Note" that you will need to sign before the surgery. The main content of that note is listed below.
Indications:
Patient is a male with infertility secondary to abnormal semen parameters (low sperm count, abnormal morphology and motility) and a physical exam or trans-scrotal ultrasound evidence of a varicoceole with or without loss of testicular volume. Patient may also have the procedure for large painful conditions of the varicoceole.
Alternatives:
Alternatives are observation, artificial reproductive techniques and radiological embolization. The various surgical approaches are high ligation, inguinal ligation, and sub-inguinal ligation with or without an operating microscope.
Risks/Complications:
The risks and complications of the procedure where extensively discussed with the patient. The general risks of this procedure include, but are not limited to bleeding, transfusion, infection, wound infection/dehiscence, pain, scaring of tissues, failure of the procedure, potential injury to other surrounding structures, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, death or a long-term stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Additionally, mentioned were the possible serious complications of the anesthesia to include cracked teeth, airway damage, aspiration, pneumonia, spinal head-ache, nerve damage, spinal canal bleeding and malignant hyperthermia. Your anesthesiologist will discuss the risks and complications in more depth separately. Additional procedures may be necessary.
The specific risks of this procedure include, but are not limited to: failure to improve pain or infertility, failure of the procedure with recurrence of the varicoceole, damage to the testicular artery with possible autoinfarction of the testicle, chronic testicular or epididymal pain, continued or worsening of original pain and hydroceole.
You understand the procedure, general and specific risks as discussed and agree to proceed with the procedure. You also understand that not every possible complication can be listed in this counseling note and additional risks are possible, although unlikely.
To view the actual printable form for this surgery, click here: Counseling Note for Subinginal Varicoceole Ligation. To print the document, simply select print after you have opened the page. You can use that copy to sign before your surgery.
Terminology tip: If you come across words you don't understand, look them up in the On-Line Medical Dictionary?.
Indications: Male with infertility and left varicoceole.Sample Procedure Dictation:
The patient was given spinal/general anesthesia, placed in the supine position and then prepped and draped in the usual standard sterile manner. An sub-inguinal incision approximately 3 inches in length was made down to the Scarpa?s fascia. This layer was divided with the bovie and the external oblique fascia was identified. The ilioinguinal nerve was identified and retracted from the field to prevent injury. The cord was isolated with a penrose drain. The spermatic cord was then dissected to find individual veins, which were either bovied or ligated and divided. Papaverine was used to irrigate the cord to identify the testicular artery so as not to injure it. The testicle was inspected after the procedure and no areas of ischemia were noted. The wound was then copiously irrigated with normal saline. The ilioinguinal nerve was replaced. Scarpa?s fascia was closed with interrupted 2-0 vicryl and the skin was closed in a subcuticular fashion using running 4-0 monocryl suture. The wound was cleaned and dried. Xerofoam gauze was placed and the wound was bandaged. Patient was then awaken from anesthesia without complications and transferred to the Recovery Room (RR) with the epidural used for pain control. The patient arrived to the RR in stable condition and without complications.
To the family and friends of patients undergoing surgery.
SCHEDULED STARTING TIME OF SURGERY:ESTIMATED LENGTH OF SURGERY:
You should plan to check in at the waiting area information desk as soon as your family member or friend has left for the Operating Room. This is the only way we can talk to you afterwards, or on occasion; reach you to give you updates on the operation's progress. If the surgery is scheduled for many hours, you can leave to eat or do other things, but you should let the information desk know that you are going to leave the area, where you are going, and how long you might be gone so that we might reach you if need be. You should be in the area before the elected time of the end of the operation.
The information deck will overhead page you or the "family of" when they receive the recovery call to let you know that the surgery has been completed. The overhead page system works ONLY on the Surgical Waiting Area and not throughout the hospital or the cafeteria.
We will plan to see you in the surgical waiting area after we have safely completed the early phases of the post-anesthesia recovery in the "Recovery Room" or PAR (Post Anesthesia Recovery). This may take up to an hour after the initial call. Sometimes, especially if another case is ready to start, we will call and talk to you. If for some reason, we have not come or called within 30 minutes, please ask the information desk to page us.
Your family member will be in the Recovery Room for 1-2 hours. This is standard recovery time, although the times vary with each individual. For example, spinal anesthetics take longer to "wear off," local anesthetics are much shorter acting. Under no circumstances are family members or friends allowed in the recovery room. The information deck will inform you of the patient's return to the room as soon as they receive the information that the patient has left recovery. At that time, they will give you the room number and direct you to the correct wing and floor.
General Instructions
Special Instructions for Endoscopic Procedures
Circumcisions, Penile or Scrotal Surgeries
Special Instructions for Patients with Catheters
Contacting Your Physician
Dr. Bauer can be contacted by calling the number at the top of this page. You may also call the hospital to have them contact us. Please do not hesitate to call with any questions or concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions after surgery
This section is under construction.