Vasectomy is a male birth control method that cuts off the supply of sperm to semen permanently. It is done by making a cut in the vas deferens that transport sperm. These ducts are cut, blocked, or heat sealed.
This means that when a man ejaculates, the semen does not contain sperm and therefore cannot fertilize the woman’s ovum.
You can read more here: What is a vasectomy?
Can vasectomized patients suffer any complications?
No type of surgical procedure is complications free, no matter how simple it may be. The rate of complications is low (less than 5%) and they are usually mild, the most frequent are hematoma and infection of the surgical wound or testis and/or epididymis (orchiepididymitis). In the long term, it is noteworthy that chronic testicular pain may appear in less than 1% of patients. It is important that you get to know the possible complications derived from the procedure and that you clear doubts with your urologist.
Exceptionally, reattachment of the vas deferens can occur naturally or due to surgical failure. In such a case, the problem will be detected when the first semen analysis is performed.
What myths surround a vasectomy?
The myths surrounding this surgery are mainly related to the sexual sphere.
-Many patients ask if they will have erection problems after surgery. A vasectomy only interrupts the path that sperm must follow for expulsion. It is not castration, so the testicle will continue to perform its normal endocrine function.
-There is no relationship between vasectomy and erectile dysfunction or libido deficiency. After the vasectomy, the patient will continue to have the same sexual potency that he had before surgery.
-Perhaps the most frequent myth is that after a vasectomy there is no ejaculation. This is not true, the volume of seminal fluid generated is similar to that of before the vasectomy, but without a load of sperm.
Is the vasectomy reversible?
Yes! Experts indicate that the vasectomy is reversible by means of surgical techniques that allow the union of the two ends of the vas deferens (vasovasostomy) or of the vas deferens with the epididymis (vasoepididymostomy). The main factor determining the success of this intervention is the time since the vasectomy was performed. Its effectiveness in the recovery of fertility can vary from more than 90% when performed within three years after the vasectomy to 30% if 15 years have passed since the vasectomy.
The success of the reversal is inversely proportional to the time elapsed since the vasectomy: the shorter the elapsed time, the higher the success rate.
According to the British public health service, known by its initials NHS, the success is:
-75% if you had a vasectomy in the last 3 years.
-Up to 55% after 3 to 8 years.
-Between 40% and 45% after 9-14 years.
-30% after 15-19 years.
-Less than 10% after 20 years.
On the other hand, after a reversal, you may not be able to conceive even if there is even sperm in the semen, because the semen may have lost mobility after the vasectomy.
At Harley Street Hospital, we have some of the best specialists to perform Vasectomy Reversal Surgery. Book an appointment to get a checkup.
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