General: Some expectations and considerations.

What a vasectomy is:

• It is a safe and simple male sterilization procedure.
• It is highly effective (over 99 percent), but it is not guaranteed.
• It is considered a permanent procedure. 

• It usually isn't painful - a local anesthetic takes care of that.
• It isn't as invasive or as expensive as the sterilizaton procedure for women (tubal ligation).
• It shouldn't be considered uniformly reversible.
• It isn’t immediately effective because sperm in the vas deferens may be viable for many weeks.

What vasectomy doesn't do:

• It doesn't affect male hormone levels, since testosterone is released into the bloodstream, not through the vas.
• It doesn't affect sexual function. Vasectomy doesn't reduce sex drive or sensation. The semen appears the same, although the sperm is missing, which is a small component of the ejaculate.
• It doesn't protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
• A vasectomy will not affect your manliness. The amount and appearance of semen will not change noticeably and sex will feel the same.
  
• The two most common vasectomy techniques are the traditional vasectomy, and the No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV), with slightly less invasiveness with the noscalpel technique.
• Vasectomy has not been linked with causing prostate cancer as once previously reported.

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The usual steps in a Vasectomy:

Generally…

• You will be asked to change into a gown and lie on the exam table.
• The procedure site will be washed and shaved (if you weren’t instructed earlier to shave).
• Sterile drapes will be placed over you to guard against infection.
• After a local anesthetic is administered, a small puncture is made in the scrotum. (The punctures in the skin do not require a scalpel.)
• Either the right or left vas deferens is lifted through this opening. The vas is cut, and a section may or may not be removed. You may feel a pulling sensation during this process. The two ends of the vas are heat sealed (cauterized), tied or clipped, before being returned to the scrotum.
• The opposite vas deferens is then lifted through the opening for the same procedure. The opening easily heals without stitches.
• Your total appointment may last as much as an hour, but the vasectomy procedure itself only requires about 20 minutes in most cases.

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Summary:

• A vasectomy is safe, simple, effective and permanent, but sterility is not immediate.
• It is normally done in a doctor’s office and requires about 20 minutes.
• It does not affect sexual function.
• You doctor may instruct you to not take aspirin or other medication in advance of the procedure.
• Prepare any questions to review with your doctor in order to make an informed decision.
• The No-Scalpel Vasectomy does not require a scalpel; there are no incisions (only a small puncture), and frequently, no stitches.
• Pain or discomfort following the procedure is usually mild and controlled with medication. Return to work is typical in a week or less.

If you are considering a vasectomy and have additional questions, we are happy to answer them. Contact us for information or a confidential evaluation.

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