A vasectomy is a minor outpatient surgical procedure that blocks or seals the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles, preventing sperm from entering semen or leaving the body. After a vasectomy the testes still make sperm, but they are absorbed by the body. You can still ejaculate and your sex life is not altered. A vasectomy is the most effective form of any birth control available, with a 99.95% success rate in preventing pregnancy.

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Dr Su performs the majority of vasectomies in the clinic under local anesthesia. However, if you want or need to be sedated, it can also be performed a surgery center or hospital. The need for sedation is based on your anatomy, how nervous you are, or if you might need other surgery at the same time. In the procedure room, your scrotal area will be washed with an antiseptic solution. Local anesthesia will be injected to numb the area, but you'll be aware of touch, tension, and movement. The local anesthetic should block any sharp pain. 

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• Conventional vasectomy: Small cuts are made on each side of the scrotum to reach the vas deferens and a small portion of the vas is cut out. 

• No scalpel vasectomy: This method is done through a single tiny hole in the skin, with little bleeding and no stitches

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Dr Su performs vasectomies via the no scalpel technique. The procedure usually takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. 

 

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What are the Risks?

Right after surgery, there’s a small risk of bleeding into the scrotum. If you notice that your scrotum has gotten much bigger or you are in pain, call the office. If you have a fever, or your scrotum is red or sore, you should call the office to rule out infection. There is a small risk for post-vasectomy pain syndrome. This occurs in 1 or 2 men out of 100 vasectomies. Post-vasectomy pain syndrome is a pain that can follow a vasectomy. It isn’t clear what causes this in many cases, but it’s most often treated with anti-inflammatory meds. 

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After Treatment

After your vasectomy, you may be uncomfortable for a few days. You may have mild pain like what you'd feel like several minutes after getting hit "down there." To reduce your pain, you may need mild pain medication. A benign lump (granuloma) may form from sperm leaking from the cut end of the vas into the scrotal tissues. It may be painful or sensitive to touch or pressure, but it isn't harmful. Most of the time, you don’t feel pain and this usually gets better with time.

You should avoid sex for 7 days or activities that take a lot of strength. Swelling and pain can be treated with an ice pack on the scrotum and wearing a supportive undergarment, such as a jockstrap. Most men fully heal in less than a week. Many men are able to return to their job as early as the next day if they do desk work.

Sex can often be resumed within a week after the vasectomy, but it's important to know that a vasectomy doesn't work right away. After the vasectomy, new sperm won't be able to get into the semen, but there will still be lots of sperm "in the pipeline" that takes time to clear. During this time, you should use other forms of birth control. 

The time it takes for your ejaculate to be free of sperm can differ. It can range from 20-25 ejaculations and 6-12 weeks. One in 100 men will still have sperm in their ejaculate at that time and may need to wait longer for the sperm to clear. You shouldn't assume that your vasectomy is effective until a post vasectomy semen analysis proves it is.

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FAQs:

Can my partner tell if I have had a vasectomy?

Sperm adds very little to the semen volume, so you shouldn't notice any change in your ejaculate after vasectomy. Your partner may sometimes be able to feel the vasectomy site. This is particularly true if you have developed a granuloma.

Will my sense of orgasm be changed by having a vasectomy?

Ejaculation and orgasm are not affected by vasectomy. The special case is the rare man who has developed post-vasectomy pain syndrome.

Can I develop erectile dysfunction after a vasectomy?

A vasectomy does not cause erectile dysfunction.

Can a vasectomy fail?

There is a small chance a vasectomy may fail. This occurs when sperm leaking from one end of the cut vas deferens find a channel to the other cut end. Once your urologist clears you with a sperm test showing no sperm or less than 100,000 sperm, with none moving, the risk of pregnancy is 1 in 2000.

Can something happen to my testicles?

In rare cases, the testicular artery may be hurt during vasectomy. Other problems, such as a mass of blood (hematoma) or infection, may also affect the testicles.

Can I have children after my vasectomy?

Yes, but if you haven't stored frozen sperm you'll need an additional procedure. The vas deferens can be surgically reconnected in a procedure called vasectomy reversal. If you don't want to have vasectomy reversal, sperm can be taken from the testicle or the epididymis and used for in vitro fertilization. These procedures are costly and may not be covered by your health plan. Also, they don't always work. If you think you may want to have children one day, you should look into non-permanent forms of birth control before deciding to have a vasectomy.

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Modified from the Urologic Foundation