Varicocele Surgery Costs
Among younger men, often in their 20s and 30s, varicocele is a common ailment found, a condition which results in the shrinkage of the testicles, often leading to fertility issues.
Generally, the blood flow going to the testicles via the arteries and veins will become blocked, often causing pain, more often noticed in the left testicle.
What causes it?
Experts believe the real case behind varicoceles is due to damaged veins often found in the scrotum located above the testicles. When this happens, the blood flow is affected, eventually shrinking the testicles, causing much pain and even infertility problems for many men.
Generally, the cause of this concern is often due to higher-than-average blood pressure, which, in essence, can be due to a myriad of reasons.
How much does varicocele surgery cost?
The cost of varicocele surgery will greatly depend on a variety of factors, including your geographical region, the surgeon performing your procedure, where the surgery is taking place, the inclusions in your bill and your health insurance policy, to name a few.
From the reports we saw online from third-party sources, the cost for varicocele surgery can range anywhere from as little as $3,000 to more than $8,000 without any insurance coverage, but these costs could greatly increase if you were to need specific pre-operative tests and if you receive separate bills from professionals who helped during the surgical procedure. We will talk about this in our “extra costs to consider” section below.
As for health insurance coverage, the results seem to be mixed. According to a forum thread on BabyCenter.com, for example, a forum member stated her husband was diagnosed with bilateral varicoceles, and according to his urologist, he said insurance may cover one side but definitely not the other, also noting her insurance policy will not cover anything that deals with infertility. One forum member who replied to the thread said her insurance covered a small portion of the procedure for her husband and had to pay $5,852 out of pocket after their insurance company paid $348, while another said the whole procedure cost $5,000, with them only responsible for paying $2,500.
To know, for certain, if your insurance will cover any of it, it’s best to receive the billing CPT code ahead of time from your doctor’s office to ask your insurance what your responsibility may be financially. As there are so many health insurance plans on the market, it’s hard to give a definite answer as to if it’s covered or not, but from the looks of it, there is a good chance the insurance company may pay at least a portion of it.
According to an in-depth review on this theBump.com forum thread, he noted the actual surgery was $847, only after he met his deductible. This fee did not include the additional anesthesiologist ($3091.50) and doctor fee ($1,976).
The extra costs to consider
All facilities will bill in a different way, and based on our research, there could be additional tests you may need to prepare for, budgeting wise, as well as additional charges you will see, aside from the surgery, including:
- HSG testing for your significant other: $1,000-$2,000
- Fertility drugs: $25-$50+
- Scrotum ultrasound: $300-$500
- Semen analysis: $200-$400
- Testosterone test blood work: $300-$500
- Anesthesiologist: $1,200-$3,000+, depending on surgery length
- Additional doctor fee: $1,000-$2,000+
The procedure
First, your doctor will first want to diagnose the issue to make sure the varicocele is the culprit. Usually, by performing a routine exam, ultrasound, thermography and/or other related tests, this can help find out the areas creating the pooled blood, helping the doctor determine the next course of action. Some of the tests commonly performed, from what we noticed, were included in the “extra costs” subheading above.
Varicocele surgery, being the most common treatment option, involves general anesthesia, often performed in an outpatient setting, but in rare cases, a local anesthesia may be used as well. During the procedure, the surgeon will create a slight incision, less than an inch, over the scrotum tissue in order to access the veins. Next, once the veins are exposed, they are ligated to help increase the blood flow. This is commonly referred to as an open surgery procedure.
Depending on the preference of your surgeon, however, he or she may use a laparoscope during the procedure as well, which helps the surgeon insert tubs as he or she uses a camera to locate the dysfunctional veins to help clip or tie of the veins. This surgery, referred to as laparoscopic surgery, is also performed under a general anesthesia in an outpatient setting.
The entire procedure will take anywhere from three to four hours.
The recovery
As for recovery after the procedure, your doctor will ask that you refrain from any strenuous activity for the next two weeks and avoid sexual activity for up to four weeks. Doctors do warn that moderate pain may be felt after the procedure, but following post-operative guidelines can help lessen it, such as avoiding any heavy lifting, returning to work three to five days after the procedure and avoiding immersing the surgical site under water for a few weeks.
Varicocele symptoms
Fertility problems: One of the most common symptoms will be fertility issues, according to multiple clinical studies.
Pain: Some patients often feel pain in the affected areas, usually after sitting or standing for too long. Even lifting, in some cases, can cause discomfort in the affected veins.
Testicular Atrophy: Another common sign, just like the fertility issues, is the shrinkage of the testicles.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Varicocele side effects
All surgical procedures will always have side effects, with Varicocele surgery being no exception. Some side effects may include blood clots forming, an infection at the surgical site, fluid buildup around the testicle and/or pain at the surgical site, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Tips to know
Another popular procedure, if you wanted to avoid the surgery, would be a varicocele embolization.
Statistics have shown 10 percent of men who have had the surgical procedure see a reoccurrence and up to 15 percent of patients reported their pain didn’t improve. As for pregnancy success rates, the numbers greatly varied between 30 and 50, depending on the type of surgical procedure performed.
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