Inova Loudoun Hospital offers unique male infertility practice

While it may not be something most men want to advertise, male infertility is a common issue and is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, 10–15 percent of men have varicoceles, or tangled or varicose veins in the scrotum, which could cause infertility issues. Of men who have infertility issues, about 50 percent suffer from varicoceles, says Christopher Starks, MD, Director of Male Infertility and Sexual Medicine for Inova Loudoun Hospital.

“Varicocele repair is probably the most common procedure to correct male infertility. Typically, it can significantly improve fertility and the ability to achieve pregnancy,” says Dr. Starks. “Other procedures we do routinely are vasectomy reversal and microscope-guided sperm harvest.”

Vasectomy reversal reconnects the vas deferens tube in men who have had a vasectomy and now wish to have more children. Microscope-guided sperm harvest is used to remove sperm directly from the testicle. Dr. Starks explains that his use of a surgical microscope for these procedures sets him apart from most other fertility surgeons.

“I did my fellowship training in Male Infertility and Microsurgery, so my surgical approach is state-of-the-art,” he says. “Inova Loudoun Hospital has some of the best equipment, such as the surgical microscope, which is a major part of doing these procedures well.  [In varicocele surgery] there are a number of structures we want to remove, but there are also structures we want to be careful of, such as arteries. The microscope gives me precise imaging to perform this delicate surgery.”

Help in Northern Virginia for Male Infertility

Dr. Starks’s practice is The Urology Group, with three locations in Northern Virginia: Lansdowne, Leesburg and Reston. Get office hours and phone numbers to make an appointment at urologygroupvirginia.com.