Vasectomy is more cost effective, less invasive, has techniques that are emerging that may facilitate easier reversal, and has a much lower risk of postoperative complications.Įarly failure rates, i.e. ) In nearly every way that vasectomy can be compared to tubal ligation it has a more positive outlook. (Removing the entire vas deferens would very likely be more effective, but it is not something that is regularly done. Vasectomy is the most effective permanent form of contraception available to men. Pain at 7 months affecting quality of life Unwanted pregnancy (failure of vasectomy)įor comparison: unwanted pregnancy w/ typical use of pillįor comparison: unwanted pregnancy w/ typical use of condom The entry of the sperm into the scrotum can cause sperm granulomas to be formed by the body to contain and absorb the sperm which the body will treat as a foreign biological substance (much like a virus or bacterium). The accumulation of sperm increases pressure in the vas deferens and epididymis. In some cases, vasitis nodosa, a benign proliferation of the ductular epithelium, can also result. Within one year after vasectomy, sixty to seventy percent of vasectomized men develop antisperm antibodies. After vasectomy, the membranes must increase in size to absorb and store more fluid this triggering of the immune system causes more macrophages to be recruited to break down and reabsorb more solid content. Sperm is matured in the epididymis for about a month before leaving the testicles. Much fluid content is absorbed by membranes in the epididymis, and much solid content is broken down by the responding macrophages and reabsorbed via the bloodstream.
Sperm is still produced by the testicles but is broken down and absorbed by the body. When the vasectomy is complete, sperm cannot exit the body through the penis. Some studies have found that sexual desire after vasectomy may be somewhat diminished. Īfter vasectomy, the testes remain in the scrotum where Leydig cells continue to produce testosterone and other male hormones that continue to be secreted into the bloodstream. Men with vasectomies have a very small (nearly zero) chance of successfully impregnating a woman, but a vasectomy has no effect on rates of sexually transmitted infections. The procedure is regarded as permanent because vasectomy reversal is costly and often does not restore the male's sperm count or sperm motility to prevasectomy levels. It ensures that in most cases the person will be sterile after confirmation of success following surgery. The procedure is not often encouraged for young single childless men as their chances for biological parenthood are thereby permanently reduced, sometimes completely.Ī vasectomy is done to prevent fertility in males. Because the procedure is minimally invasive, many vasectomy patients find that they can resume their typical sexual behavior within a week, and do so with little or no discomfort.īecause the procedure is considered a permanent method of contraception and is not easily reversed, men are usually counseled and advised to consider how the long-term outcome of a vasectomy might affect them both emotionally and physically. After a short recovery at the doctor's office (usually less than an hour), the patient is sent home to rest. ĭue to the simplicity of the surgery, a vasectomy usually takes less than 30 minutes to complete. To help reduce anxiety and increase patient comfort, men who have an aversion to needles may consider a " no-needle" application of anesthesia while the ' no-scalpel' or 'open-ended' techniques help to accelerate recovery times and increase the chance of healthy recovery. There are several methods by which a surgeon might complete a vasectomy procedure, all of which occlude (i.e., "seal") at least one side of each vas deferens. Hospitalization is not normally required as the procedure is not complicated, the incisions are small, and the necessary equipment routine. Vasectomies are usually performed in a physician's office, medical clinic, or, when performed on an animal, in a veterinary clinic. During the procedure, the male vasa deferentia are cut and tied or sealed so as to prevent sperm from entering into the urethra and thereby prevent fertilization of a female through sexual intercourse. Vasectomy is an elective surgical procedure for male sterilization or permanent contraception. Temporary local inflammation of the testes, long-term genital pain. Lower cost and less invasive than tubal ligation for women. Two consecutive negative semen specimens required to verify no sperm. Surgical procedure for male sterilization Vasectomy