Vasectomy

A vasectomy is surgery to cut the vas deferens, which is the tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the urethra. After a vasectomy, sperm cannot leave the testicles. A man who has had a successful vasectomy cannot impregnate a woman.

Description

• Vasectomy is almost always performed in the surgeon’s office using local anesthesia. You will be awake, but you will not feel any pain.
• After shaving and cleaning the scrotum, the surgeon will inject anesthesia into the area.
• The surgeon will then make a small incision in the upper part of the scrotum. The vas deferens will be tied off or clamped and cut separately.

The wound will be closed with stitches or surgical glue.
A vasectomy can be performed without a surgical incision. This is called a no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV). For this procedure:

• The surgeon will look for the vas deferens by feeling the scrotum.
• You will be injected with anesthesia.
• Then the surgeon will make a tiny hole in the skin of your scrotum, and tie off and cut a part of the vas deferens.

For a regular vasectomy, a small incision is made on each side of the scrotum. For a no-scalpel vasectomy, a sharp instrument is used to pierce the skin and a single hole is made. For both types of procedures, a stitch is made or a surgical rubber band is used to seal the hole.