
Vasectomy information	Vasectomy Home Page - General Information and Preparation - Commonly asked questions - Cost - Appointments General Information and Preparation Apart from the use of condoms, vasectomy is the only effective means of contraception available to a man. What is a vasectomy? Vasectomy is another name for male surgical sterilization. It is a minor procedure that prevents sperm from travelling from the testes (balls) into the semen and should be considered to be permanent. Semen is the fluid that is ejaculated during sexual intercourse. If there are no sperm in the semen then pregnancy will not occur. Vasectomy involves cutting and sealing the two tubes located in the scrotum on either side of the penis which carry sperm to the prostate gland where it is mixed with semen. These two tubes are known as the vas deferens. A vasectomy will not alter any of the characteristics which influence masculinity. The testes will continue to produce the male sex hormone, testosterone, as normal. Testosterone is released by the testes directly into the bloodstream and is therefore not affected by having a vasectomy. What does the operation involve? Vasectomy is a simple, straightforward operation. The surgeon will make a small hole in the scrotum with forceps. The vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm) are picked up and a small amount of each tube is removed. The open ends are sealed and the opening in the scrotum closed by pressing the edges together. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is performed with either local anaesthetic or intravenous sedation. Local anaesthetic will numb the scrotal area. This will sting slightly, but after this you will not feel any pain, only movement. If you choose to have intravenous (IV) sedation, you will be given both pain killers and drugs that have an amnesiac effect. It is unlikely that you will have any memory of the procedure or for a short period after the operation. If you have had IV sedation, you will be asked to rest in the recovery area for about half an hour after the operation. In total you should be in the clinic for about one hour with local anaesthetic and one and a half hours with sedation on the day of the operation. How do I prepare? You will need to attend for a counselling session and physical assessment one to two weeks prior to the operation date. This is to ensure that you have adequate time after speaking to the doctor to consider your decision. You will be requested to leave a deposit of $100.00. This will be non-refundable if you decide to cancel less than 48 hours prior to the operation time. If you are having IV sedation, then do not have anything to eat or drink for five hours prior. This includes sips of water, lollies or chewing gum. You will need to prepare the operation site by trimming your pubic hair and shaving the scrotal area. Shaving instructions will be given to you after your counselling session. Have a shower and clean the pubic area and scrotum thoroughly. You will need to bring with you: Your Medicare card A clean pair of snug-fitting underpants A support person to take you home if you are having IV sedation The fee for the procedure as advised Any medication that you are taking What happens after the procedure? When the anaesthetic wears off, you may feel a mild ache at the operation site. This can be alleviated with pain killing medication and by wearing snug-fitting underpants. If you have had IV sedation, you must not drive or operate heavy machinery for twelve hours. You may experience some soreness, bruising and/or discomfort for a few days after the operation. You should arrange to rest for the next few days and avoid strenuous physical activity for one week. If you have a sedentary occupation you may return to work the next day. A medical certificate can be written for any time that you need to take away from work. Two months after the operation you will need to have a sperm count performed. This is to ensure that the operation was successful and that no sperm remain in the vas deferens. Top of Page Commonly Asked Questions Is it painful? Local anaesthetic will numb the scrotal area so that you will only feel a slight ache in each testicle for a few seconds. After this, you won’t feel any pain, only movement as the doctor performs the operation. If you choose intravenous sedation, you will feel very relaxed and sleepy and feel no pain. What about sex? You may resume sex as soon as you feel comfortable to do so usually after about three days. However, bear in mind that it takes roughly two months, or approximately sixteen ejaculations, for sperm remaining in the vas deferens to be cleared. Until a sperm count confirms that the operation has been successful, an alternative form of contraception should be used. Having a vasectomy will not alter your feelings toward sex or during sex. You should feel the same as you always do. The volume and consistency of semen will also be the same, the only difference being that it will not contain any sperm. Many men find that they actually enjoy sex more because the fear of pregnancy has been removed. Are there any possible complications? There may be some soreness, bruising and discomfort for a few days after the operation. A small number of men experience bleeding or infection. Sometimes sperm can leak from the ends of the cut tubes and cause small hard lumps to form. These complications can generally be avoided by following all post operative instructions which include resting, wearing supportive underwear and taking antibiotics should infection occur. Can vasectomy fail? Vasectomy is almost 100% effective. A very small percentage of men may remain fertile or become fertile again. This may happen if the vas deferens regrows, if the tubes are not completely sealed or a third vas deferens exists. Failure of a vasectomy is usually detected when the sperm count is performed, two months after the operation. Is vasectomy reversible? Vasectomy should be considered permanent and should only be undertaken by men who have already had their families or are quite sure that they never want to father children. Some surgeons have been successful at rejoining the vas deferens, however, rejoining the tubes is no guarantee that the man will then be able to father a child. A reversal procedure can be quite expensive and is not coverable by Medicare. It is therefore quite important to be sure of your decision to go ahead with a vasectomy. Top of Page Cost The cost of a vasectomy depends on whether you decide to have Local Anaesthetic or Intravenous sedation. Please phone the clinic for these fees. A $100.00 deposit is required which is non-refundable if the appointment is cancelled less than 48 hours prior. Top of Page Appointments Appointments can be made by telephoning Macquarie Fields Clinic. The number to call is: (02) 9605-2247. Location Macquarie Field's Clinic 3 Dale Lane Macquarie Fields, NSW 2564 map showing location Top of Page Home Page
macquarie field's vasectomy clinic © 9 november 2011

torso

Vasectomy

- General Information and Preparation
- Commonly asked questions
- Cost
- Appointments

General Information and Preparation

Apart from the use of condoms, vasectomy is the only effective means of contraception available to a man.

What is a vasectomy?

Vasectomy is another name for male surgical sterilization. It is a minor procedure that prevents sperm from travelling from the testes (balls) into the semen and should be considered to be permanent. Semen is the fluid that is ejaculated during sexual intercourse. If there are no sperm in the semen then pregnancy will not occur. Vasectomy involves cutting and sealing the two tubes located in the scrotum on either side of the penis which carry sperm to the prostate gland where it is mixed with semen. These two tubes are known as the vas deferens.

A vasectomy will not alter any of the characteristics which influence masculinity. The testes will continue to produce the male sex hormone, testosterone, as normal. Testosterone is released by the testes directly into the bloodstream and is therefore not affected by having a vasectomy.

What does the operation involve?

Vasectomy is a simple, straightforward operation. The surgeon will make a small hole in the scrotum with forceps. The vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm) are picked up and a small amount of each tube is removed. The open ends are sealed and the opening in the scrotum closed by pressing the edges together. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is performed with either local anaesthetic or intravenous sedation. Local anaesthetic will numb the scrotal area. This will sting slightly, but after this you will not feel any pain, only movement.

If you choose to have intravenous (IV) sedation, you will be given both pain killers and drugs that have an amnesiac effect. It is unlikely that you will have any memory of the procedure or for a short period after the operation.

If you have had IV sedation, you will be asked to rest in the recovery area for about half an hour after the operation.

In total you should be in the clinic for about one hour with local anaesthetic and one and a half hours with sedation on the day of the operation.

How do I prepare?

You will need to attend for a counselling session and physical assessment one to two weeks prior to the operation date. This is to ensure that you have adequate time after speaking to the doctor to consider your decision. You will be requested to leave a deposit of $100.00. This will be non-refundable if you decide to cancel less than 48 hours prior to the operation time.

If you are having IV sedation, then do not have anything to eat or drink for five hours prior. This includes sips of water, lollies or chewing gum.

You will need to prepare the operation site by trimming your pubic hair and shaving the scrotal area. Shaving instructions will be given to you after your counselling session. Have a shower and clean the pubic area and scrotum thoroughly.

You will need to bring with you:

Your Medicare card
A clean pair of snug-fitting underpants
A support person to take you home if you are having IV sedation
The fee for the procedure as advised
Any medication that you are taking

What happens after the procedure?

When the anaesthetic wears off, you may feel a mild ache at the operation site. This can be alleviated with pain killing medication and by wearing snug-fitting underpants. If you have had IV sedation, you must not drive or operate heavy machinery for twelve hours.

You may experience some soreness, bruising and/or discomfort for a few days after the operation. You should arrange to rest for the next few days and avoid strenuous physical activity for one week. If you have a sedentary occupation you may return to work the next day. A medical certificate can be written for any time that you need to take away from work.

Two months after the operation you will need to have a sperm count performed. This is to ensure that the operation was successful and that no sperm remain in the vas deferens.

Top of Page

Commonly Asked Questions

Is it painful?

Local anaesthetic will numb the scrotal area so that you will only feel a slight ache in each testicle for a few seconds. After this, you won’t feel any pain, only movement as the doctor performs the operation. If you choose intravenous sedation, you will feel very relaxed and sleepy and feel no pain.

What about sex?

You may resume sex as soon as you feel comfortable to do so usually after about three days. However, bear in mind that it takes roughly two months, or approximately sixteen ejaculations, for sperm remaining in the vas deferens to be cleared. Until a sperm count confirms that the operation has been successful, an alternative form of contraception should be used.

Having a vasectomy will not alter your feelings toward sex or during sex. You should feel the same as you always do. The volume and consistency of semen will also be the same, the only difference being that it will not contain any sperm. Many men find that they actually enjoy sex more because the fear of pregnancy has been removed.

Are there any possible complications?

There may be some soreness, bruising and discomfort for a few days after the operation. A small number of men experience bleeding or infection. Sometimes sperm can leak from the ends of the cut tubes and cause small hard lumps to form. These complications can generally be avoided by following all post operative instructions which include resting, wearing supportive underwear and taking antibiotics should infection occur.

Can vasectomy fail?

Vasectomy is almost 100% effective. A very small percentage of men may remain fertile or become fertile again. This may happen if the vas deferens regrows, if the tubes are not completely sealed or a third vas deferens exists. Failure of a vasectomy is usually detected when the sperm count is performed, two months after the operation.

Is vasectomy reversible?

Vasectomy should be considered permanent and should only be undertaken by men who have already had their families or are quite sure that they never want to father children.

Some surgeons have been successful at rejoining the vas deferens, however, rejoining the tubes is no guarantee that the man will then be able to father a child. A reversal procedure can be quite expensive and is not coverable by Medicare. It is therefore quite important to be sure of your decision to go ahead with a vasectomy.

Top of Page

Cost

The cost of a vasectomy depends on whether you decide to have Local Anaesthetic or Intravenous sedation.

Please phone the clinic for these fees.

A $100.00 deposit is required which is non-refundable if the appointment is cancelled less than 48 hours prior.

Top of Page

Appointments

Appointments can be made by telephoning Macquarie Fields Clinic.

The number to call is: (02) 9605-2247.

Location

Macquarie Field's Clinic
3 Dale Lane
Macquarie Fields, NSW 2564

map showing location

Top of Page

Home Page