Everything You Need To Know About A Vasectomy

Vasectomy, or male sterilization, is a short procedure for a man to avoid impregnating a woman. This procedure does not require general anaesthesia, and thus does not carry the risks associated with it. It involves the interruption of the sperm passage from testes via vas deferens during ejaculation. However, urologists assure that it does not affect the ejaculate or the ability to have an orgasm.

How is it done?

It can be carried out under local anaesthesia or sedation. The urologist small cut is made under the penis, after numbing the area and then the vas deferens is tied or blocked so that the sperms don’t ejaculate. Once the procedure is done, the cut is stitched and the patient is discharged after a few hours. Some surgeons don’t use a cut and use small holes instead. This expedites healing and doesn’t require stitches.

Following the procedure, there will be soreness for some time, and the rest should be done for about one day. However, in less than a week there will be a full recovery.

Efficacy of this procedure:

Vasectomy is nearly 100 percent effective against pregnancy. In very rare cases the vas deferens can rejoin and sperm can flow during ejaculation, which may result in pregnancy.

Pros and cons of the procedure:

Whether to get a vasectomy or not should be a mutual decision of you and your partner. Take your time to weigh in all the pros and cons before you opt for this, as it is a permanent procedure.

You should opt for it only if: you and your partner do not desire any more children. You should also consider this procedure if your partner should not get pregnant for her health reasons, and pregnancy can endanger her life. You can also consider this procedure if you and your partner are carriers of serious genetic disorders and do not wish to pass them on. This is also a generally safe procedure that is permanent.

This procedure may not be the best option if: you or your partner are still unsure about increasing your family in the future; or if you want to go for temporary birth control. The permanency of this procedure is not suitable for such people.

What if you want children in the future?

Even though vasectomy is a permanent procedure, there can be extenuating circumstances that warrant a reversal. There are a few options for childbirth even after vasectomy. There can be a vasectomy reversal, or surgical extraction of sperm.        

Vasectomy reversal is a relatively complicated procedure which can take from 4 to 6 hours. If it is done after ten years of vasectomy, the success rates are 60 to 75 percent; after 15 years of procedure, the success rate is only 30 percent.

Surgical extraction of sperm combined with in vitro fertilization (IVF) offers patients a chance to have children. These procedures are called Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE) and percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA).

If you are considering vasectomy, then seek professional help after weighing all the pros and cons. You can book an appointment with a top urologist in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi and through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.