Vasectomy - Surgery and Reversal

Vasectomy is the most effective mode of male contraception. Vasectomy is a simple surgery that results in permanent sterilization of the man by preventing the release of spermatozoa in the ejaculated fluid. In this text we will explain what vasectomy surgery is and what the chances of reversal are.

Vasectomy
Vasectomy
 


What is diverter channel?

Before we talk about vasectomy, to understand how surgery works, let's take a look at the anatomy of the male reproductive system. Follow the text along with the illustration provided below.

Sperm are produced in our testicles and stored until mature in the epididymis, a structure located at the top of each testicle. The epididymis binds to the seminal vesicle by two thin tubes called the vas deferens. The seminal vesicle along with the prostate are responsible for producing the fluid known as semen or sperm, which is ejaculated during male orgasm.

The logic of vasectomy surgery is very simple, it is enough to cause an interruption in the vas deferens, that the spermatozoa stored in the epididymis will no longer be able to reach the seminal vesicle. In this way, the ejaculated sperm starts to come out without a single sperm present.

How is vasectomy surgery done?

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure so simple that it does not need to be done in a hospital environment. The urologist does a small local anesthesia on the skin of the scrotal sac and with a small cut exteriorizes the vas deferens. From there, simply cut it and then suture each end. The surgery lasts about 15-20 minutes.

The patient is discharged a few minutes after the end of the procedure and should be rested for two to three days. Bath only after 24-48h, return to work after five days and physical exercises only after a week, at least. It is always safe to confirm these deadlines with the doctor who performed the operation.

In the first two or three days there may be pain and discomfort in the scrotal region. This pain, however, is usually weak and relapses with common analgesics.

The patient may return to intercourse after a week, but at this time there may still be viable sperm in the sperm. It takes an average of 20 ejaculations to clean the entire duct. After three months an evaluation of the semen in search of spermatozoa is indicated. If there is no longer any, the patient can be considered sterile. The vasectomy success rate is 99.8%.

Vasectomy complications

Vasectomy is a simple surgery with a low rate of complications. In the early postoperative days it is common to have blood in the sperm, swelling in the scrotal pocket and local pain.

It is possible in the first weeks through the incision of the vas deferens a small leak of sperm into the scrotum. This leak can trigger an inflammatory reaction and the formation of sperm granulomas, which can be noticed as small painful nodules in the vas deferens. Granuloma is a mass formed by the mixture of spermatozoa and defense cells of our immune system.

Another possible complication is the sensation of weight, fullness or pain in the scrotum caused by the accumulation of spermatozoa in the epididymis. After a few weeks the testis begins to decrease the production of spermatozoa and the body begins to absorb the already existing ones, resulting in an improvement of the congestion. There are rare cases where there is no improvement of the discomfort and the patient needs to be evaluated again by the urologist.

Myths about vasectomy

There is a lot of false information about vasectomy circulating among patients. We can affirm that:
  • Vasectomy DOES NOT cause sexual impotence
  • Vasectomy DOES NOT cause loss of libido
  • Vasectomy DOES NOT increase the risk of any type of cancer
  • Vasectomy DOES NOT increase the risk of any heart disease

It is also important to note that vasectomy is a contraceptive method that does not decrease the chance of transmission or contamination by any sexually transmitted disease (STD). The man continues to ejaculate normally, the difference being that there will be no more sperm in the middle of the sperm. If the vasectomized patient has any STDs, the risk of transmission remains the same.

Vasectomy reversal

A vasectomy in some cases may be reversible, but reversal surgery is much more complex. The longer the vasectomy time, the lower the chances of the reversal to succeed. After 15 years of vasectomy, less than a third of the reversals are effective.

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