Vasectomy

A vasectomy is a simple, safe procedure that makes a man sterile or unable to have children. The procedure works by preventing sperm from getting into semen, but it doesn’t affect any other aspect of your sexual functioning. You still have erections and ejaculate, but you won’t be able to get a woman pregnant.

The team at Gulf Coast Urology often performs vasectomies in the office under light sedation. A vasectomy is done by cutting the vas deferens, removing a small segment, then closing the two ends.

The vas deferens is the tube that carries sperm from the testes to the urethra, which is where they combine with semen before being ejaculated. Disrupting the vas deferens tubes prevents sperm from getting into the seminal fluid.

During the procedure a single small opening in the center of the scrotum is made and the tubes are pulled up through the incision. The vas deferens is then cut, each end is cauterized (burned), and then sewn each side into a different layer of the scrotum (fascial interposition) so they cannot reconnect. The skin is closed with one stitch, and a bandage is applied.

Dr. Redrow performs a no scalpel vasectomy approach using only one small pinhole to access the vas deferens. We do not use clips or any permanent materials during the procedure. This leads to lower complication rates and quick recovery.

• Pain level afterwards is similar to a sprained ankle. A few days of soreness and inflammation that rapidly improve. Pain will be able to be controlled with over the counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Within 10-14 days you will be fully healed.
• No strenous activity or ejaculation for 7 days after the procedure. Most people can go back to work two days after the procedure.
• You can shower the next day. A small bandage will be on the skin afterwards, that can be removed, and the incision can be left open with no bandages after that. The stitch in the skin will dissolve and fall out about 5-7 days after the procedure.

You must have a semen analysis after the procedure to ensure you are sterile before stopping other forms of birth control!

You’re not immediately sterile because it takes a few months for the sperm that were in the vas deferens before your procedure to pass through your reproductive tract. For most men, it takes about 8-12 weeks or about 20 ejaculations to clear out all the sperm.

Your Gulf Coast Urology provider checks semen samples and lets you know when your sperm count is down, and it’s safe to have unprotected intercourse. Meanwhile, you should use another reliable form of birth control to prevent pregnancy.

Vasectomies are intended to be permanent, but it’s usually possible to reverse the procedure. The success of reversing a vasectomy depends on factors such as the length of time since your vasectomy.

We recommend patients consider this a permanent procedure. However, your body will continue to make sperm so if you want to concieve in the future both reversal and direct sperm retrieval from the testicle are possible.

If you’re considering a vasectomy, call Gulf Coast Urology or schedule an appointment online.