6250+ as of November 2023. 850 Vasectomies were performed in FY22/23.
There are about 5-10 seconds of stinging pain on each side when the local anaesthetic is applied.
At the end of the procedure, most patients state that it isn’t as painful as a trip to the dentist.
Post-operative pain is well controlled by applying an ice pack (or packet of frozen peas) plus paracetamol if needed.
Most men will return to work on the Monday following their operation.
For most men, the worst part is the pre-operation anxiety.
There are no changes in testosterone levels and no changes in sex drive. Sperm only makes up 2-3% of ejaculate volume so there will still be an ejaculate as normal. There has been one case of transient change in ejaculation in 6000+ cases.
Vasectomies have been utilised for contraception since World War 2.
No long term life-threatening consequences of vasectomy has been detected. Men do not have more heart disease, testicular cancer, prostate cancer or any other health problems.
A small number of men develop post-vasectomy pain syndrome. It is a poorly understood and poorly defined syndrome. The clinic has had 8 cases out of the last 6000+ vasectomies where men have returned with pain that has not resolved by itself over a six to twelve-month period. There are options for these men to have their pain treated.
You will be at the surgery for approximately 20 minutes. The vasectomy itself normally takes between 5-10 minutes.
Most men will be able to drive home without difficulty. If you think that you will be particularly anxious about the vasectomy, then it is a good idea for you to not drive yourself home. A small number of men faint after having a vasectomy. This is more common in men who are quite anxious prior to the procedure.
We have two options for anxiety.
We can use some sleeping tablets to calm you down pre-op. This is fairly variable in onset and efficacy. We find better results with the additional use of the green whistle.
The green whistle has a 1 in 10,000 incidence of causing severe but transient liver damage.
(I can't call the whistle by it's proper name due to the law around the use of medication names)
Whenever you are comfortable. This is normally within the first week.
It is a good idea to have a week abstaining from vigorous physical exercise. If you hurt yourself post-vasectomy, as a result of exercising too hard, it will not cause vasectomy failure. However, it may increase the chance of further post-operative bleeding and pain at the site of the vasectomy.
NO! You need to wait until you get your clearance test performed. When the results are received we will send a text and an email confirming the procedure has been successful.
Yes, vasectomies can fail. You must perform a sperm test three months after the procedure to ensure that it has worked. We have a failure around every 1000 cases.
If your first test still shows live sperm, we keep testing monthly until this resolves. If we are at seven months post-operation and there is still sperm, the operation has been unsuccessful.
If your three-month sperm test shows the vasectomy was successful, there can still be a failure at a later for unknown reasons. It is rare and is reported in the medical literature as around 1 in 5000 cases.
If a failure occurs, it will be detected at the post-operative sperm test. Another vasectomy can then be performed which will be done at no extra cost. We have not had any repeat failures.
Bruising at the site of the incision is normal. About 0.5% of men develop a postoperative haematoma (blood clot). If that happens, you will experience a lump with or without pain inside the scrotum, generally at the site of the vasectomy and usually only on one side. It will typically be reabsorbed by the body over a few weeks and usually is painless.
About 3-4% of men have returned for review in the first month after their vasectomy, usually for ongoing discomfort. This normally settles without you doing anything apart from taking pain relief if needed.
3 men in the last 6000 have had a course of IV antibiotics in hospital for a few days. 1 had to have surgery due to infection.
There is a 1 in 1000 chance of having a large postoperative haematoma. Following your vasectomy, you will be provided with a mobile phone number to call if you have any immediate concerns over the weekend.
Call me or send a text! You will be given my mobile phone number. Alternatively, you can always call 02 6103 0434.
Yes. Vasectomy can be reversed. Success rates for reversal depend on the time between the vasectomy and the reversal. Up to 5 years post vasectomy reversal rates are around 95%. Up to 15 years post vasectomy, the rates are around 70%.
Reversal may not be your best choice. Depending on your partners' age and fertility you may be better suited to pursue IVF.
Normally only one test needs to be performed, which is done at 12 weeks post-operation. This test needs to be done at the laboratory. If you are doing your follow-up test in Canberra, please drop it off at Capital Pathology, 173 Strickland Crescent in Deakin.
The test cannot be dropped off at a peripheral pathology collection site located elsewhere. If you are from regional NSW, we will provide clear instruction regarding where to drop the test to on your post-op instruction sheet.