Pre-operative Instructions
Post-operative Instructions
Medications List

Vasectomy Information - Questions and Answers

Q. What is a vasectomy?
A. A minor, 15-30 minute operation under a local anesthetic in the doctor's office, hospital, or clinic.

Q. What does the doctor do?
A. He closes the tiny, narrow tubes through which sperm travel. This tube, called the vas deferens, gives the operation its name.

Q. How does the closing of the tubes prevent pregnancy?
A. Sperm have to travel through the tubes to enter the semen (the fluid in your sexual discharge). Blocking the tubes prevents the sperm from reaching the semen. Because it lacks sperm, your discharge cannot cause pregnancy.

Q. Does the operation affect my sex organs?
A. No. Neither the penis nor the testicles, prostate or seminal vesicles are affected.

Q. Does the operation affect my sex life (my "nature" or desire)?
A. Since all that is done is the simple cutting of the tubes, preventing the sperm from reaching the egg, there should be no adverse effects on your sex life. On the other hand, freed from the fear of producing unwanted children, you may find your sex life and the enjoyment of sexual relations greatly improved.

Q. Does sterilization interfere with the ability to reach a climax?
A. No. There is no change.

Q. When my tubes are closed, what happens to my male sex hormones that are produced in the testicles?
A. They are not affected one way or the other. These hormones do not enter the body through the tubes, but through the blood, and the blood vessels of the testicles are not touched in the operation.

Q. What happens to the sperm that cannot come out when my tubes are closed?
A. The body is made up of many different types of cells, the cells that make up your lungs, intestines, etc. The dead cells are reabsorbed. This is a natural process that happens to sperm cells as well.

Q. Will this operation eliminate my discharge of seminal fluids?
A. Since most of the fluid of the semen is produced by the prostate and seminal vesicles (semen storage tanks); there is no appreciable change in the amount of discharge. Only 5% of the bulk of the ejaculate (seminal fluid) is produced by the testicles, an amount too small to notice.

Q. Does the operation hurt?
A. With local anesthesia you will feel some pain for a moment when the anesthetic is injected. This will numb the area so that you should not feel any pain in the area after that.

Q. Is a vasectomy ever associated with any complications?
A. Occasionally the skin of the scrotum and possibly the base of the penis may turn black and blue. This is not painful, lasts a few days and disappears without treatment. Occasionally, too, there may be mild pain or tenderness in the areas of the incision, with some swelling for a short time. Very rarely a small blood vessel may escape into the scrotum and continue to bleed, After a number of hours, the scrotum may become quite swollen and tender because of the blood clot that forms. If the clot is small, it will be absorbed after a time. If it becomes very large it may become necessary to tie off the bleeding vessel. If any unusual swelling occurs you should call your physician here immediately and he will decide the proper course to follow.

Q. I the effect of this operation permanent? In other words, is it not reversible should I later decide that I want more children?
A. Success has been recorded in reconnecting the tubes surgically. But no one should count on reversing the operation. You should decide upon this procedure only when you are certain you do not want any/more children.

Q. Do the cut ends of the tubes ever rejoin by themselves?
A: The procedure is not 100% guaranteed and it has been reported on rare occasions that the cut ends of a vas have rejoined. To reduce the chances that this may happen, a segment of the vas is removed at the time of surgery and the remaining ends are coagulated and tied closed. Also there is always a chance that similar appearing structures may be identified as the vas.

Q. Does the operation require time off from work?
A. You can return to work the same day if you do not do any heavy lifting or prolonged standing. It is best to avoid any heavy work for up to a week.

Q. How soon after the operation can I have sex?
A. As soon as you wish. But remember, you are not sterile at the end of the procedure.

Q. How will I know that the operation has been successful?
A. At your follow up appointment you will be given instructions on how to submit two separate semen specimens to the hospital lab (lopation dependent upon your insurance). These semen analyses will determine if there is any sperm seen which will determine if the procedure has been successful.

Q. Is there any risk of pregnancy after vasectomy?
A. Yes, until it is determined that there are no sperm found in your seminal fluid. There will be residual sperm immediately after your procedure and for a tune after that. It is important that you continue to use contraception (birth control) until your semen analyses come back with no sperm seen.