German researchers found using a minimally invasive technique to correct blocked vessels in the testicles i.e. varicoceles, one of the commonest causes of male infertility can increase the chances of fathering a child. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
This procedure involves inserting a small catheter into the groin and steering it into the varicocele. A tiny platinum coil and a special fluid are then injected, via the catheter, to block off the faulty vein, diverting the blood flow through an alternative route.
Because the operation is minimally invasive, patients can typically return to work the next day.
Within six months of 173 previously infertile men with at least one varicocele receiving the therapy, a quarter of their partners had become pregnant, scientists at the University of Bonn found.
The treatment also significantly improved average sperm counts and enhanced sperm motility ? a measure of its swimming ability which is critical to fertility.