Vasectomy

Vasectomy is a good birth control choice for men who are certain they don't want to father a child.

• Vasectomy is nearly 100 percent effective in protecting against pregnancy.
• Vasectomy is a minor outpatient surgery with a low risk of complications or side effects.
• The cost of a vasectomy is far less than the cost of female sterilization (tubal ligation) or the long-term cost of birth control medications for women.

Vasectomy is generally a very safe procedure. Serious side effects or complications are rare.

Vasectomy side effects right after surgery can include:

• Swelling
• Bruising of your scrotum
• Bleeding or a blood clot (hematoma) inside the scrotum
• Blood in your semen
• Infection of the surgery site

Complications that may occur sometime after surgery include:

1. Pregnancy, in the rare event that your vasectomy fails to block the flow of sperm or the tubes that carry sperm grow back together. A semen analysis about three months after your surgery will verify that there are no sperm present.
2. Fluid buildup in the testicle, which can cause a dull ache in the testicles that gets worse with ejaculation.
3. An immune system response to leaking sperm that causes inflammation around the testicle (granuloma).
4. After surgery there may be some pain, swelling and redness which gets better by time

Care after vasectomy:

• Scrotal support with a bandage and tight fitting underwear for at least 48 hours after vasectomy.
• Periodically use an ice pack to help with swelling and pain for one to three days after surgery.
• Resting for 24 hours after surgery. Can probably do light activity after two or three days, but avoid sports, lifting and heavy work for a week or so.
• Not taking any aspirin or ibuprofen for three to seven days after surgery. These medications increase the risk of bleeding.
• Avoid sexual activity for a week. If you do ejaculate, you may notice blood in your semen for three or four days after surgery.
• Contacting doctor right away if there are signs of infection, such as pus or blood oozing from the surgery site, fever, or worsening pain or swelling.