WHAT IS A VASECTOMY?

A Vasectomy is an outpatient procedure where the tubes that transfer sperm to the semen are cut or blocked to inhibit the release of sperm.

REASON FOR THE PROCEDURE

A Vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control.

THE PROCEDURE

There are two types of vasectomies. When performing a Conventional Vasectomy, your Esse Health Urologist, using local anesthesia, will make two cuts in the scrotum to reach the vas deferens (tubes that carry sperm). Next, the tubes will be cut, and the ends seared and sutured shut. The incision will usually require stitches that will dissolve over time. Once the tubes are severed, the sperm can no longer leave the testicles. The procedure takes around 30 minutes.

For the No-Scalpel Vasectomy, instead of incisions in the scrotum, your Esse Health Urologist will feel for each vas deferens then clamp them in place. A tiny hole is made in the skin and a portion of the vas deferens is manually pulled out of the scrotum then cut, sealed, and stitched. The vas deferens are pushed back into the scrotum. The puncture holes do not require stitches and will heal on their own.

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS, RISKS, AND COMPLICATIONS

Both procedures have very few complications. You may experience swelling, bruising, inflammation, bleeding, and the possibility of an infection at an incision or puncture site.