Urology: Interventional Radiology (IR) Procedure for Varicocele Embolization

July 9, 2025

Your Pollin Urologist has counselled you on varicocele embolization during your consultation. You will be referred to North York General Hospital (NYGH) for your procedure. 

Here is what to expect: 

  1. Once NYGH receives your referral/requisition for the procedure, they will contact you with the appointment date and time and provide basic preparation for the procedure. 
  2. Day before procedure:  The NYGH IR nurse will call or meet with you to do a pre-procedure interview and explain the prep and procedure in more detail, answer any questions etc.  
  3. Day of procedure: You will check in in MI and the nurse will prep you and the procedure will be performed. You will stay in IR recovery for 2-3 hours post procedure.  Post-procedure instructions given by an IR nurse before discharge.

Note: You will be contacted by NYGH directly who will provide above and any additional information such as on procedure booking, what to do before your procedure, and what to expect on procedure day. 

Below is written patient information for you on what to expect for this procedure. This information will also be provided to you by the NYGH IR Team. 

  1. It is an out-patient procedure at North York General Hospital.
  2. It will be completed under local anesthetic with mild sedation.
  3. You will be discharged home 4 hours after the procedure.
  4. No heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for a day or two after the procedure.
  5. Intercourse is okay after 24 hours.
  6. The patient cannot drive home after the procedure. You must be accompanied by a friend or family member.
  7.  The patient cannot take the TTC, Taxi, Uber home after the procedure. You must be accompanied by a friend or family member.
  8. This will be completed by the right jugular vein approach. 
  9. IR will insert embolization coils, Nitinol - they are harmless and do not go off in X-ray detectors and they are safe for MRI.
  10. The procedure has a 95% clinical & technical success rate.
  11. Complications such as bleeding (at the neck puncture or retroperitoneal) are rare < 2%.