Male Vasectomy Surgery in Sydney
What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is an operation used for permanent birth control. It involves dividing and closing off the tubes that transport sperm from the testicles to the penis.
Vasectomy is done as a day procedure, and recovery time is usually less than a week. Depending on your general health, as well as your preferences, vasectomy can be done under local anaesthesia (while you are awake), with sedation, or under general anaesthesia.
Vasectomy is simpler, more effective and has fewer complications than female sterilisation.
Is a vasectomy 100% effective?
Besides total abstinence, no form of birth control is 100% effective. However, vasectomy is around 99.9% effective at preventing pregnancy, making it the most effective method of contraception.
Pregnancy after vasectomy could occur for one of the following reasons:
- Unprotected intercourse too soon after surgery. We recommend at least 6 weeks of protected intercourse. It could take, on some occasions, up to several months for semen to be sperm-free following a vasectomy. Alternative birth control should be used until a semen sample shows a sperm count of zero. At Sydney Surgical Clinic, we conduct routine semen testing at around 6 weeks after surgery. Usually, at this stage patients are sterile.
- Surgical failure. Occasionally, the initial vasectomy may be unsuccessful. If sperm is still present in the semen 6 months after surgery, repeat surgery is recommended.
- Reconnection of the tubes after successful surgery. Very rarely, sperm may find their way across the scar tissue of the separated tubes, resulting in an unplanned pregnancy.
What are the risks of a vasectomy?
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that has been performed safely for many years. A vasectomy does not interfere with testosterone production, and does not affect sexual desire or performance. A man who has had a vasectomy is still able to ejaculate normally, but the semen no longer contains any sperm. Studies have shown that vasectomy does not increase your risk of developing medical conditions like heart disease or cancer.
Although complications are not common after a vasectomy, swelling, bleeding or infection could occur following any surgery. These are not usually serious.
1-2% of men may experience ongoing scrotal pain following a vasectomy.
What should I expect at my consultation before surgery?
At your preoperative consultation, we will establish your relevant medical history, and perform a brief physical examination. It is particularly important for us to be informed of any current medication, allergies, bleeding tendencies or previous groin surgery.
How should I prepare for surgery?
We recommend that you thoroughly wash the groin and scrotum the evening before, and morning of, surgery. This will help to reduce your risk of infection. Depending on the time that your procedure is scheduled, we will advise when you should stop eating and drinking. You will also need to organise for someone to drive you home after the procedure.
What should I expect after a vasectomy?
There may be some discomfort or bruising for a few days after surgery. This should be relieved by ice packs and simple pain medication. Most men are able to return to work in less than a week.
A follow-up consultation will be scheduled a week after your surgery, to review your healing. After this, you can resume having sex. However, it is important to use an alternative form of contraception until a semen sample shows a sperm count of zero.
Can a vasectomy be reversed?
Vasectomy can potentially be reversed but it’s not a straightforward procedure. Since vasectomy reversal is costly and not guaranteed to be successful, vasectomy is recommended for men who are certain that they do not want to father any more children.
