What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a urological microsurgical procedure that involves cutting the vas deferens, which disrupts the transport of sperm from the testicles to the penis. In many cases, a vasectomy is performed with the "no scalpel" method, consisting of one or two punctures, without the necessary incision.
Vasectomy is 99.99% effective. However, in order to make sure that the procedure was carried out correctly, it is recommended to perform semen control tests several weeks after the procedure.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, which is why it is considered virtually painless. The anesthetized vas is exposed through a puncture/minimal incision of the skin. Titanium clips are then placed on the vas deferens (a few millimeters apart) and the spermatic cord is cut. The essence of the operation is the excision of a few millimeters of the vas deferens and microcoagulation (closing the capillaries) of the canal orifices. After the procedure, the scrotum shows a small wound and a slight discoloration of the skin.
Who can undergo a vasectomy?
The decision to undergo a vasectomy should be carefully considered. It should not be undertaken in stressful and crisis situations, such as: financial problems, illness, the birth of a child and a hasty statement that you do not want to have another one. Before the procedure, it is necessary to perform a complete blood count and HBS antigen test.
What are the complications of a vasectomy?
The procedure is safe and complications are relatively rare. It is estimated that they may affect up to a few percent of patients. They can be divided into those occurring immediately after the procedure and those long-term.
Early complications: bruising on the scrotum, swelling, presence of blood in the semen or inflammation of the treated site.
Late complications: restoration of the continuity of the vas deferens (cases when spermatozoa appear in the patient's semen after vasectomy) or the so-called sperm granuloma.
The best candidates for a vasectomy are:
How long does it take to recover after a vasectomy?
In order to achieve the intended effect of a vasectomy, you must follow the recommendations of the doctors.
The most important of them is to refrain from intercourse until the wound is completely healed after the procedure. It can last from 4 days to two weeks (the time depends on the suggestions of specific doctors).
It is not recommended to do any sport for 2 weeks after a vasectomy.
The possible, temporary presence of spermatozoa in the vas deferens after vasectomy means that in order to avoid unwanted pregnancy, it will be necessary to use the current method of contraception, e.g. a condom, for a short time.
The estimated time it takes for the vas deferens to be completely cleared of sperm is around 3 months or 20 ejaculations.
On the day of the procedure, you should not drink alcohol and drive a car.
You can return to work in the office as early as 4 days after the operation, and to physical work after a week off.
How effective is a vasectomy?
The reason for the failure of the procedure may be recanalization of the vas deferens (reconnection of disconnected stumps of the vas deferens) and the appearance of sperm in the semen, resulting from an incorrectly performed microsurgical procedure. To be sure that the procedure was successful, a semen morphology test should be done (check if it is free of any motile sperm). The test is performed in a laboratory, but not all laboratories carry out this type of test.
Semen analysis for sperm for patients under 34 years of age is performed in the 12th and 14th week after the procedure, and in patients over 35 years of age it is performed in the 16th and 18th week.
To confirm the effectiveness of vasectomy, laboratory analysis should show the complete absence of motile spermatozoa in the semen examined.
What side effects does a vasectomy have?
The effectiveness of the vasectomy procedure is certain. Doctors, however, conduct tests confirming whether a vasectomy is a completely safe procedure. So far, no serious health problems caused by vas ligation have been identified, because their only function is to transport sperm.
Doctors recommend using other contraceptives for 2-3 months after a vasectomy, as there may still be sperm in the ejaculate.
Ultimately, however, it is not yet known whether vasectomy can cause changes in the testicles. To be convinced of this, it is necessary to perform a number of specialized tests. They are conducted e.g. towards the relationship between vasectomy and prostate cancer) and long-term observation of patients' testicles. So it takes time to find out about the complete safety of a vasectomy.
Does a vasectomy affect my sex drive?
Vasectomy does not reduce sex drive and does not affect the quality of intimate life, nor does it cause erection problems. During the procedure, the course of nerves and vessels is not affected. The only difference is that there are no sperm in the semen - the testicles still produce them, but they do not come out. After a vasectomy, the appearance and smell of the ejaculate do not change. The body of a man after a vasectomy does not stop producing male hormones, nor do his physical features change, e.g. his voice does not rise, his facial hair does not disappear.
How much does a vasectomy cost?
Taking into account the fact that a vasectomy is a one-time expense, it can be considered that it is also one of the cheapest methods of contraception and pays off more than regularly buying contraceptive pills or condoms.
Is vasectomy legal in Poland?
Vasectomy in Poland is legal.
Is a vasectomy reversible?
Even many years after vasectomy, microsurgical reconstruction of the vas deferens has a chance of success. The effectiveness of wasovasostomy (so-called revasectomy) is assessed on the basis of the percentage of vas deferens patency (the presence of sperm in the semen). According to research conducted in the USA, 30% reversibility of the procedure is effective in cases where the vasectomy was performed more than 14 years ago. With a shorter period, the process is 90 percent reversible. Restoration of the vas deferens is a difficult and complicated procedure, so the decision to undergo a vasectomy must be carefully considered.