Can I have my procedure done under sedation or a general anaesthetic?
True Clinic only offers vasectomy under local anaesthetic. For sedation or general anaesthetic we recommend you obtain a referral to a urologist or contact Marie Stopes Australia.
How many days does it take to recover?
Some men recover quite quickly from vasectomy while others may take up to two weeks. The average time to feeling back to normal is about 7 days.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. You can book directly through our True clinic - phone 3250 0200.
When can I start having sex again?
Most men can resume sexual activity after about one week.
When can I go back to work?
It’s really important not to lift anything too heavy for the first week. If your job doesn't involved much heavy lifting you can often go straight back to work, but if you are in a job with a lot of lifting you may wish to take some time off or request light duties. Our Doctor can provide a medical certificate if you want to stay home.
When will I know the procedure has worked?
The procedure does not work immediately and you must consider yourself fertile until we tell you the vasectomy was a success. We request you do a semen analysis at 3 months to confirm you are sterile. This will give you plenty of time to "clean out the pipes"!
What are the risks of having a vasectomy?
We do everything we can to reduce the rate of complications but all surgical procedures have risks you should be aware of. A full list of potential complications are outlined fully in your consent form when you book your appointment.
After your vasectomy, most men will notice some level of:
- Bruising - you may notice some bruising in the days after your vasectomy but this will usually disappear after about a week.
- Mild pain and swelling - this commonly settles a few days after your procedure.
Rare complications include:
- A scrotal haematoma: This is a large bruise within the scrotum. You can reduce your chance of getting a haematoma greatly by following our instructions regarding lifting heavy objects in the days after the procedure. If you work in a job that requires heavy lifting make sure you get some time off work or ask for light duties.
- Infection: We try to reduce the chance of you getting an infection by adhering to strict infection control protocol. Most infections are mild and can be treated with oral antibiotics.
Very Rare complications include:
- Post Vasectomy Pain Syndrome (PVPS): This is a rare but serious complication that can occur any time after a vasectomy. There is little agreement on what causes PVPS. In most cases pain will resolve eventually but in rare cases specialist review and even additional surgery or reversal may be required to resolve the problem.
Can I get my vasectomy reversed?
If you are asking yourself this question, you should really think twice about getting a vasectomy. Yes, vasectomies can be reversed. But you should consider this procedure as permanent contraception.
Reversals are not 100%, they can be expensive (starting from $5000) and are not covered by Medicare.
Is there any special preparation I need to do for my vasectomy?
Yes. You will be given information on how to prepare when you book your appointment.
Can I drive home after my vasectomy?
Yes, but you may want to rest after the procedure at home.
What are the types of vasectomy?
There are a couple of ways to categorise the procedure methods:
1. Traditional Vs No-Scalpel - The traditional method involves using a scalpel to make an incision on each side of the scrotum to access the vas. The No-scalpel method uses blunt dissection and usually only involves one hole being made through which the vas from both sides is accessed. The no-scalpel technique results in lower complication rates such as bruising and bleeding.
2. Open-ended Vs Closed-ended - The open ended technique means that the end of the vas attached to the testicle is left open. Why does this matter? Well after a vasectomy the testicle is going to continue to make sperm and this sperm needs to go somewhere. By allowing it to be released into the scrotum we reduce the incidence of “congestion” or the feeling of pressure from sperm backing up (think of a kinked hose with the tap running). The closed-ended technique means the testicular end of the vas is clamped with a suture or a clip.
How long does the procedure take?
Most no-scalpel will take about 40 minutes.
What is a Vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a simple procedure where the vas deferens (vas) the is cut to cause sterilisation in a male. The vas is a tube that carries sperm from the testicles to the penis. On the way, sperm is joined by semen so your ejaculate contains both sperm and semen. Sperm makes up a very small percentage (less than 5%). Because we are only stopping sperm being made, most men will not notice any change in the volume of their ejaculate after a vasectomy.
For more information on Vasectomy, visit our Male Sterilisation page.
How effective is a vasectomy?
Vasectomy is not immediately effective because live sperm remain in the vas deferens until they are ejaculated in the semen. After three months a semen analysis must be taken to check that there are no live sperm in the ejaculate. Once this is established, vasectomy is 99.85-99.9% effective. This means that, on average, of 1000 women whose partners have had a vasectomy, only1 of them will become pregnant at some time in the future.
What are the advantages of vasectomy?
- Highly effective method of contraception
- Simple, quick and safe operation
- It does not interfere with sexual intercourse or sexual function (erections)
- Long-term complications are rare
What are the disadvantages of vasectomy?
- Temporary discomfort may be experienced following the operation, such as pain, bruising, bleeding, swelling or inflammation
- Vasectomy is not immediately effective
- Reversal is not always possible
Are there any long-term consequences of vasectomy?
- Does not affect the appearance or function of the penis or testicles in any way
- Erections, orgasms and ejaculations will be the same as before the operation
- Concern has been raised about testicular and prostate cancer in men who have had a vasectomy. World Health Organisation expert committees have reviewed the research and found no proven association exists between vasectomy and cancer
