A new method using platinum coils to help infertile couples conceive has been developed by scientists and presented at the Radiological Society of North America.

Researchers in Germany have found that using a platinum coil together with a small amount of a sclerosing agent can provide a non-invasive approach to helping male infertility.

One of the main contributors to male infertility has been found to be varicoceles, which are effectively varicose veins in the scrotum.

In the past, the usual method to deal with this problem has been open surgery, which has a long recovery time.

However, the new method involving the platinum coils has only a minimal recovery time, meaning that the procedure could soon become an effective and quick way to treat a common cause of male infertility.

Dr Sebastian Flacke, Assistant Professor of Radiology at the University of Bonn in Germany, where the research was carried out, said: "This study confirms that varicocele repair can significantly improve sperm count and motility."

Ÿ Adfero Ltd