Luckily, preparing for your vasectomy is quick and easy. At home on the morning of the procedure, please shave the underside of the penis and all of the front and sides of the scrotum to give clear access to the site. To make it easier you can trim first with hair clippers (always use a No.1 or 2 guard to prevent catching the skin). We suggest that you don’t use depilatory creams such as Veet and Nair as these can cause chemical burns. Waxing works well but can be painful.
Ring our office to confirm your attendance 48 hours before the procedure.
Tell us:
If you are taking any blood thinning medication (Iscover/Co-Plavix, Pradaxa, Xarelto, Eliquis, Brilinta or Warfarin) or have a bleeding disorder. Please let us know at time of booking and ask for more information and instructions.
Aspirin, ginkgo, olive leaf extract can continue to be taken.
NOTE:
The procedure is simple, seamless, virtually pain-free and over in 5-15 min – and patients can drive themselves home!
We apply local anaesthetic to the vasa using a fine needle, with no injections into the testes. We make a single opening 2-4mm in size which will close rapidly and heal without the need of stitches using our signature ‘no scalpel’ microKeyhole™ method.
If you have any questions, please contact our team directly to discuss your concerns with a consultation.
Vasectomy Definition:
Vasectomy is the name given to the operation which makes men infertile by producing a block to sperm movement from the testes and is the safest and most efficient form of permanent contraception currently available. Immature sperm are produced in both testes (testicles) and travel up in a tube called the vas deferens(plural=vasa) on each side to a sponge-like storage area near the seminal vesicle at the back of the bladder where they are stored and mature prior to release.
The recovery process post procedure is straightforward and seamless.
Pain Management
There is usually little post vasectomy pain but the amount does vary unpredictably ranging from none to significant pain and swelling in rare instances. Pain can start from 1 hour after the operation (when the local anaesthetic starts wears off) or even start a few days or weeks later. It is usually due to inflammation of the epididymis and not infection. If significant pain or swelling occurs try to rest and take ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory) 200mg, 2 tablets 3-4 times a day after food on a regular basis. Add paracetamol 500mg, 2 tablets 3-4 times a day if the ibuprofen alone is not helping.
Increasing pain or swelling, redness or fever is not usual, and you should contact us on 1300 377 647 or see your local doctor or attend an emergency department.
Bruising
Bruising of the skin on the scrotum is common, not a concern and will disappear with time.
Bleeding
In the rare case that the wound bleeds, ‘pinch’ over the wound with some gauze or a tissue for ten minutes, then let go very slowly.
Washing
Shower as normal but do not have a bath or go swimming for 2-3 days until the wound heals.
Wound Care/Support
It is advisable to continue to wear supportive underwear for 2-3 days (place a piece of gauze or tissue over the wound until healed).
Activity and sex
Take it easy for 2-3 days, after which your level of activity including sex should be guided by your degree of comfort. Strenuous activities (running, bike riding, prolonged walking, climbing and repetitive lifting) should be avoided for the first week if possible. Excess activity may cause increased pain but will not cause any permanent ‘damage’.
Sterility
You are not sterile yet! Sterility takes approximately 8-12 weeks after a vasectomy to occur. At the 12-week mark, most patients are ‘all-clear’, and no repeat tests are needed. Your operation cannot be considered successful until you have confirmed with us that you are all clear.
Instructions for Collecting a Semen Sample for the 12-week test
You will be given a pathology request slip, instruction sheet, specimen sheet and a bag at your first visit. At 12 weeks, you will get a semen sample following the directions provided. Screw the cap onto the jar firmly and label the jar with your name, time of collection and date. Drop the specimen off at a collection point listed on the referral and the test is normally bulk billed. You may take your sample to another pathology provider but please be aware that there may be out of pocket costs.
Please call us on 1300 377 647 three days later for the result. We will either confirm that you are ‘all clear’ or arrange a repeat test.
Vasectomy is the name given to the operation which makes men infertile by producing a block to sperm movement from the testes and is the most efficient form of contraception currently available. Sperm are produced in both testes (testicles) and are then carried by a tube called the vas (plural=vasa) deferens on each side to a sponge like area of vas near the seminal vesicle at the back of the bladder where they are stored.
Most of the fluid ejaculated (approximately 98% of the semen) is actually produced by the prostate gland, the seminal vesicles and Cowper’s gland. This means that when you ejaculate after a vasectomy the semen is gradually depleted of sperm so that eventually it will be free of sperm although the volume of the ejaculate is not noticeably changed. The production of the male hormone testosterone by the testes is completely unaffected as it all continues to go directly into the blood stream, so sex drive and libido are unaltered.
Whilst a vasectomy is the safest form of permanent contraception, you will not be sterile immediately; for most it takes a minimum of 2-6 weeks for the sperm stored in the seminal vesicle (which is above the site of the vasectomy) to be cleared from the system. After 12 weeks a sperm count is performed which involves taking a specimen of your semen to a pathology centre where it will be sent away to be examined for the presence of sperm. When no sperm are found, sterility has been achieved. One in 10 patients still have sperm present and repeat tests are performed monthly until none are left, 99% are clear by 6 months. The overall failure rate of our operation is about 1 in 1000 compared with 1 in 300 for the traditional method and in women who have tubal ligation. This includes failure to identify and deal with the vasa, an extra vas and early or late spontaneous re-joining of the ends with re-canalisation. Once it has been established that the semen is clear of sperm subsequent failure of the procedure, due to the spontaneous re-joining of one or both vasa is very rare, occurring only in about 1 in 5,000 vasectomies.
Most men experience little or no pain however a few experience discomforts, bruising and swelling of a minor and transient nature. This is usually relieved by rest, simple pain medications and supportive underwear. Serious side effects are extremely rare.
Complications may occur and include long-term pain and tenderness(2%), sperm granuloma, infection, inflammation of the epididymis and testes, scrotal haematoma (blood clot), bleeding, cyst formation, development of anti-sperm antibodies, delayed wound healing and adverse reactions to the skin preparation, latex gloves, local anaesthetic and heat cautery/diathermy. Very rarely injury to an artery may result in loss of a testicle due to impaired blood flow.
If you are considering this question, we recommend discussing if a vasectomy is the right choice for you with a doctor. A Dr Snip vasectomy should be considered irreversible however there are 2 methods which may overcome the effects of a vasectomy should circumstances change. The first method is microsurgical reversal operation. The functional success rate for this operation is quite high (up to 90% in the first 5 years following vasectomy) but declines with time due to decreased sperm production and the development of anti-sperm antibodies. An alternative method to reversal for future pregnancy is an ‘IVF’ procedure known as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) which involves injecting into an egg either a mature sperm from semen stored before the vasectomy or an immature sperm obtained by way of needle biopsy from the testes. Sperm storage obviously requires pre-planning with storage of sperm prior to the procedure.
Note: Medicare does not rebate reversal operations, or ICSI or sperm storage.
A vasectomy will have no physical effect on your sex drive, erections, or performance as these are all driven by testosterone production. Your body produces the same amounts of testosterone after a vasectomy. Ejaculations also remain the same as most of the semen is produced away from the testes and the vasectomy site. In fact, many men say their sex life improves because they are no longer worried about unintended pregnancies.
Whilst we do everything, we can to reduce the rate of complications, all surgical procedures have risks that you should be aware of. A full list of potential complications is outlined in the patient consent form.
After your vasectomy, most men will notice some level of:
Rare potential complications include:
At Dr Snip, we have pioneered the modern vasectomy and a laser is not required as it provides no additional benefit. We use state of the art technology to ensure ease, comfort and results for all of our clientele.
Please directly contact Dr Snip or book online here
We provide competitive pricing on our vasectomy without compromising on state-of-the-art facilities and innovative technology.
Vasectomy Fee – $750
Less Medicare Rebate – $237
Out of Pocket Cost – $513
The total fee is payable on the day of your vasectomy procedure and we arrange to have your Medicare rebate credited direct to your account.
Please call us on 1300 377 647 or send us an online enquiry and one of our friendly staff will reply promptly.
