Vasectomy question (pain, pregnancy, surgery, advantage)

[West of Encino]

This question is primarily for men who've already vasectomies or women who are married to fixed men.

I'm intending on getting a vasectomy next year. I was just wondering which procedure is more effective and will not likely reverse itself.

Which one is more effective and will less likely reverse itself? Is it the traditional procedure or the no-scalpel? And is it best get cauterized and make them close ended instead of open? I read a whole lot of information on the no-scalpel method but almost none on the original.

I don't want any responses asking how old I'm am or that I may regret my decision.

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by West of Encino

This question is primarily for men who've already vasectomies or women who are married to fixed men.

I'm intending on getting a vasectomy next year. I was just wondering which procedure is more effective and will not likely reverse itself.

Which one is more effective and will less likely reverse itself? Is it the traditional procedure or the no-scalpel? I read a whole lot of information on the no-scalpel method but almost none on the original.

I don't want any responses asking how old I'm am or that I may regret my decision.

Traditional and no-scalpel techniques should have the same failure rate. Ask your surgeon what his personal failure rate is. If you go to a specialty vasectomy center, you will probably see someone who has done thousands of procedures. It's like practicing free throws: the more you do, the better you get.

The advantage of the no scalpel technique is a smaller incision and shorter recovery time. Once the vas is isolated the procedures are essentially the same, but there are minor variations in technique from surgeon to surgeon.

The risk of failure is about 1 in 2000. Many post vasectomy pregnancies occur in the first weeks after the procedure. It is not immediately effective! Follow the surgeon's postop directions and get a semen sample examined for sperm when he tells you to. Do not skip this step! Pregnancies due to improper surgical technique or having the vas "reconnect" itself are rare.

For others reading this:
The surgeon will discuss the issue of regret with you. There is the option of storing semen if there is any concern

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by West of Encino

This question is primarily for men who've already vasectomies or women who are married to fixed men.

I'm intending on getting a vasectomy next year. I was just wondering which procedure is more effective and will not likely reverse itself.

Which one is more effective and will less likely reverse itself? Is it the traditional procedure or the no-scalpel? And is it best get cauterized and make them close ended instead of open? I read a whole lot of information on the no-scalpel method but almost none on the original.

I don't want any responses asking how old I'm am or that I may regret my decision.

Not sure exactly which one hub had, think it was 3 tiny incisions. I don't remember much; I know we got him frozen peas (which I can't eat now after that) & his pain level was expected the 1st 24/48 hours. He had it done on a Thursday or Friday so he missed minimum work.

He's a truck driver; bouncing around in the truck used to bother him the 1st week or 2 but other then that no problems.

Originally Posted by suzy_q2010

The surgeon will discuss the issue of regret with you. There is the option of storing semen if there is any concern

I wish this was offered to us when hub had it done but back then they did not.
We were older (me 30's - him 40's) he figured his son would give him grand kids to keep the name going, but hasn't.

We had no kids together but have at times discussed it since the vas.

Having sex without pregnancy worry is great.

[Maggi07]

My husband had one that is very very unlikely to ever reverse. I don't know what the procedure is called, but a piece of the cord was cut out, both ends were cauterized and clamped.

Unfortunately, he's had chronic pain since then, which is not an uncommon experience apparently. It is sometimes debilitating and there isn't anything that can be done, except if it gets too bad in the future to change the vasectomy to an open ended one, where the ends of the cord are left open.

Having an open ended vasectomy, there is a higher rate of failure, but it is still very small, and the chance of complication is much less.

[bluedevilz]

Actually, the incidence of post vasectomy chronic pain is quite infrequent, so I wouldn't say it was common.

The preferred treatment is usually reversal of the vasectomy.

As with most surgeries, it is best to go with the surgery the physician you are seeing is most comfortable performing.

Choose the surgeon first, let the surgeon choose the surgery.

[skeet09]

The hubby has the procedure done in November 2009. The first day was of course a doozy but quickly improved after that. Not sure which one was it. The doctor can go over with you; I can ask him later tonight which one was it.

[Maggi07]

Originally Posted by bluedevilz

Actually, the incidence of post vasectomy chronic pain is quite infrequent, so I wouldn't say it was common.

The preferred treatment is usually reversal of the vasectomy.

As with most surgeries, it is best to go with the surgery the physician you are seeing is most comfortable performing.

Choose the surgeon first, let the surgeon choose the surgery.

Chance of significant, chronic pain is about 15% to 33%

Reversal of the vasectomy is nearly impossible if you go with the full deal- cut, burn, clamp. Open ended is much more possible to reverse.

ETA: Trying to get that link to work......

Alright, apparently PubMed does not like to be linked. I don't think I can cut and paste? Anyone know how to get PubMed links to work?

[Maggi07]

Well, here are the studies, guess they need to be googled.

Choe and Kirkemo showed 19%
Manikandan et al showed 14% after 10 years and 16% after one year

There are several more, but I'm not going to go into all of them because my intention is not to convince anyone not to have a vasectomy. I feel very badly that I didn't have this information before my dh had one, but we still would have gone that route. We may have chosen the open ended vasectomy though.