FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the risks?

Is vasectomy safe long-term?

How long does it take?

When do we stop birth control?

How much does it cost?

How will it affect me?

Can vasectomy be reversed?

what are the potential risks of having a vasectomy?

No-needle, no scalpel is a very low risk procedure. However, the following complications can occur:

Bleeding: Bruising of the scrotal skin is common, harmless and not a complication of surgery. Significant swelling of the scrotum with bleeding into the scrotal sac is very rare (less than 1%). To minimize swelling, make sure you rest as much as possible for two days after the procedure and apply ice to the area. Do not resume full activities until discomfort and swelling have subsided; usually about a week.

Infection: Infection of the skin or deep tissues is seen in fewer than 1% of patients and can be treated with oral antibiotics. Epidydimitis, or inflammation of the epidydimis occasionally can be very uncomfortable. A one to two week course of oral antibiotics and scrotal elevation usually resolves this problem.

Pain: Another potential problem is the development of a tender nodule, a "granuloma," at the cut end of the vas deferens resulting from leakage of sperm into the tissue. The tenderness usually subsides after several weeks, although very occasionally an operation to remove that nodule is necessary.

Failure: Rarely, a granuloma can also cause a bridging of the divided ends of the vas, thus reconnecting the vas and restoring fertility. For this reason, no one can guarantee sterility after vasectomy. The incidence of recanalization has been estimated at one per thousand vasectomies. The no-scalpel vasectomy technique is thought to have the best chance of preventing this problem. As a practical matter, vasectomy is a far more certain method of birth control than any method you are currently using.