Vasectomy

Overview

Vasectomy is a procedure for permanent contraception or sterilization in men. The two tubes (vas deferens) connected from the testicles to the urinary tract are surgically altered to divert sperms flowing through the tubes, instead of letting them enter the urethra and fertilize with a woman’s egg.

It is the safest and most effective procedure for couples who do not want to have any more children. Although reversible, vasectomy procedure is a very effective birth control treatment. Owing to its simplicity the surgical procedure of vasectomy takes less than thirty minutes to perform.

Patients are allowed to go home the same day after spending some recovery hours at the doctor’s office. It is minimally invasive, thus allowing patients to continue their sexual activities within a week of the procedure without and almost no difficulty.

Risks associated with vasectomy are minimal since there are hardly any complications attributed to it. Infections and bleeding are the two most common symptoms of Vasectomy that can be minimized with medicines. Pain medications also help to get instant relief. Go through the required vasectomy preparations before you undergo the procedure.

Before the treatment

• Doctors restrict certain medications like aspirins and blood thinners that should be stopped at least ten days before the surgery.
• The person is required to go through several tests and a thorough physical exam to ensure all his other organs (heart, liver, kidney, etc) are functioning normal.
• Before an appointment with the doctor, the person needs to wash thoroughly and wear tightly fitted underwear or an athletic supporter.
• The person is required to shave the front area of the scrotum before vasectomy procedure is started.

How it is performed

Vasectomy requires 10-20 minutes to perform.

• The person is administered local anaesthesia via a needle. Once the area becomes numb, doctors start vasectomy.
• A couple of incisions are done in the scrotum through which instruments are inserted to lift the left or right vas deferens for cutting a section of it. The person may feel a slight pulling sensation during the procedure, but no pain.
• Both the ends of the vas are sealed with heat (a procedure called cauterize) generated by the instrument put inside through the cuts in the scrotum. Then, the sealed ends of the vas are tied and clipped before returning them to the scrotum. A similar procedure is carried out for the opposite vas deferens.
• After the instruments are withdrawn, the cuts are closed by stitches or naturally dissolvable sutures.

Recovery

The recovery time of no-scalpel vasectomy is usually lesser than a traditional vasectomy. You are advised to apply an ice pack on the scrotum for the initial 24 hours after the surgery. Make sure you do not place ice directly on the wounded area.

Avoid walking or running as much as possible in the first couple of weeks. It is recommended to wear an athletic supporter or snug cotton briefs for support of the scrotum. Strenuous activities and heavy lifting jobs should be avoided as much as possible.

Wait a week or more before resuming sexual activities. However, make sure you use birth control pills until the doctor says to stop them. Recovery of vasectomy is quick and effective, only if you follow doctor’s advice and take the required medications.