Vasectomy

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

• Excess bleeding
• Problems from anesthesia, such as wheezing or sore throat
• Infection
• Lasting pain in and around the testicles
• Sperm granuloma—lumps caused by an immune system response to sperm leaking from the reproductive organs
• Ability to still make a woman pregnant

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

• Smoking
• Excess drinking
• Prior surgery in that area

Reasons for Procedure

A vasectomy is done as permanent birth control. This option is for men who are sure they will not want to father a child in the future. There is a surgery to reverse a vasectomy, but it is not always successful. There are also other methods that can be used to extract sperm through surgery, but they are also not always successful.

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

The care team may meet with you to talk about:

Anesthesia

The doctor will give local anesthesia. The area will be numbed.

Description of the Procedure

A vasectomy may be done in one of three ways:

• Conventional approach—One small cut will be made in the skin on each side of the scrotum. The vas deferens will be pulled through the openings. The tubes will then be cut. A small piece of the tubes may also be removed. The ends of the tube will be sealed off with stitches, clips, or an electrical pulse. The vas deferens will then be placed back into the scrotum. The incision will be closed with stitches.
• No-scalpel vasectomy—The vas deferens will be located. A clamp will be attached to hold it in place. A special tool will be used to punch a small hole in the skin. The hole will be stretched open to pull the vas deferens through. The tubes will then be cut and sealed. The holes will heal without stitches.
• Vas clip vasectomy—The vas deferens will be exposed in either of the two methods described above. Special clips will be placed around each vas deferens and cinched in place. The clips will block the flow of sperm beyond the position of the clip.

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How Long Will It Take?

20 to 30 minutes

Will It Hurt?

Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. Pain and swelling are common in the first few days. Medicine and home care can help.

Postprocedure Care

After the procedure, the staff may give you pain medicine.

It will take 2 to 3 days to heal. Full healing will take about a week. Some activities will be limited during this time.

Birth control should be used until tests show that the vasectomy was successful.

Problems to Look Out For

Call the doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

• Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, excess bleeding, or discharge from the wounds
• Pain that you cannot control with medicine
• Problems passing urine
• New or worsening symptoms

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.