Vasectomy
Symptoms & Causes
Treatments & Procedures
Overview
Vasectomy is a permanant form of male birth control. It involves a surgical procedure that blocks or cuts the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra. By cutting or blocking these tubes, sperm cannot mix with semen and the man becomes infertile.
Reasons for Vasectomy
• Birth Control: A permanent option for men who do not want to father children in the future. • Health Reasons: Some men may have a medical condition that makes pregnancy risky for their partner or that may be passed on to their children. • Convenience: Once a man has had a vasectomy, a couple no longer needs to worry about using other forms of birth control or experiencing side effects associated with hormonal contraceptives.
It is important to note that vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control and should be considered carefully.
Vasectomy Care at Integrative Urology
Treatments & Procedures
Vasectomies are minor procedures that can usually be performed right in our office. For patients who wish to have something on board more than just local anesthesia, our office offers nitrous oxide, or “laughing gas”, which is a patient-controlled form of analgesia to aid the discomfort of the procedure. Nitrous oxide gas is rapid-on and rapid-off, safe enough to drive home afterwards. For patients with pre-existing medical conditions or prior difficulty with local anethesia, you may wish to undergo intravenous (IV) sedation at an ambulatory care center. Vasectomies generally require minimal recovery time - often less than a week. There are two main types of vasectomy:
No-Scalpel Vasectomy
The least invasive method of vasectomy involves a no scalpel technique. A small puncture opening is made in the scrotum to perform vasectomy on both sides, leaving a single small stitch left in your scrotum afterwards that dissolves on its own.
The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish for most men. Afterwards, you will be sent home with post-operative care instructions. This usually involves icing down the scrotum, compressing the scrotum to prevent swelling, and limiting heavy activity (such as yardwork or playing with your children) for several days. Most men return to work quickly after vasectomy. A vasectomy doesn’t provide immediate protection against pregnancy. You will need to use an alternative form of birth control until it is confirmed that there is no sperm in your semen with a confirmatory negative semen sample performed at a lab several months after the vasectomy.
Benefits:
Scalpel Free
Less than 10 Minutes
Quick Recovery
Conventional Vasectomy
During a conventional vasectomy, a small incision or incisions are made in the skin of the scrotum after the delivery of numbing medicine. The next step is to remove a small section of the vas deferens, which carries sperm from the testicles, on both sides. A small stitch is left in your scrotum afterwards that dissolves on its own.
Benefits:
Quick Procedure
