After the Second World War, men around the world turned to permanent sterilization via a vasectomy as a relatively easy and very reliable method of birth control. At the time, though, the vas deferens tubes that carry sperm outside the man’s body had to be accessed through traditional surgical incisions. This resulted in significant blood loss and trauma.
Recovery from a traditional, incisional vasectomy could be long and painful. Luckily, by the early 80s, doctors in the United States began adopting a less invasive vasectomy technique first introduced in China.
Best of all, no-scalpel vasectomies are effective. So effective that they’re the fifth most popular form of contraception in the US. Almost 7% of men aged 18-49 have had a vasectomy. More than 11% of men with college degrees have had vasectomies.
As an expert and compassionate urologist, Alex Lesani, MD, only performs no-scalpel vasectomies at our office in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here’s why our team promotes the no-scalpel approach to vasectomies and why they’re so much easier than your Dad’s or Granddad’s vasectomies were.
Instead of using a scalpel to make two incisions in the scrotum, Dr. Lesani uses a sharp, pointed forceps-like instrument to create two small holes. He can then access the vas deferens tubes using tiny surgical instruments inserted through the holes.
This is a more efficient approach that allows the operation to be completed quite quickly. In fact, most no-scalpel vasectomies only take about 30 minutes from prep to completion.
The punctures cause considerably less bleeding than full-on incisions do. Less blood loss = less trauma. That, in turn, translates to less swelling and bruising.
Less blood also makes the surgery easier to accomplish. Dr. Lesani can better visualize the vas deferens tubes, isolate them, cut away a section, and cauterize the remaining ends so that they no longer function.
The punctures are so small, they won’t need stitches, either. So you won’t feel the itch and discomfort of stitches, nor will you have to return to have them removed.
Let’s be clear: Your boys will be sore after a vasectomy, but for a much shorter time than they would have been if you’d undergone open surgery. Even punctures result in some trauma, so you must treat your testicles with extra care during your shortened recovery. Steps include:
Continue to use birth control, even when you’re OK for sex. Sperm can persist and remain in your urethra or the upper portion of your vas deferens.
You have follow-up appointments with Dr. Lesani. During these consultations, he makes sure you’re healing properly. He also conducts sperm-count tests. Once you reach zero sperm, you’re safe to have unprotected sex (unless you need protection against sexually transmitted diseases; then, continue to use condoms).
The good news is, once you’re past the 7-day abstention period, frequent ejaculations help you reach your zero-sperm goal faster. You and your partner may appreciate that extra incentive.
The best news is that no-scalpel vasectomies rarely fail. Once you’ve reached a zero sperm count, they’re almost 100% effective against pregnancy. For the first 3-6 months, you could — in rare instances — still have residual sperm. But after that point, the failure rate drops to 1%.
Take charge of your reproductive health by booking a no-scalpel vasectomy today. Call our team at 702-470-2579 or make your appointment online.
