Vasectomy is the safest method of male contraception. It is a simple, permanent method performed under local anesthesia. This surgery consists of interrupting the passage of sperm through the vas deferens by occluding and sectioning the vas deferens. Its effectiveness is 99.5%.
What is a no-scalpel, needle-free vasectomy?
No-scalpel vasectomy was developed in 1974 by Dr. Shunqiang Li in Sichuan Province, China.
No-scalpel vasectomy is performed through two instruments specially designed to draw in the deferens, excretory and ejaculatory duct of each testicle, the ring clamp. This instrument firmly grasps the vas deferens from outside the scrotum without injuring it. The other element is a sharp, curved mosquito forceps to puncture the skin, dilate it and separate the vas deferens from its blood vessels, thus reducing the chances of causing a hematoma.
Currently, this procedure is considered the Gold Standard for the practice of vasectomy by the prestigious American Urological Association.
Advances in vasectomy
The no-scalpel technique has become standard practice in more than 40 countries. The main novelty is that there is now a method that eliminates needles during the application of anesthesia thanks to the spray gun. This greatly reduces the discomfort that occurs with traditional needle anesthesia. In this way, the vas deferens nerves are anesthetized without touching the testicular nerves.
Advantages of No-Scalpel Vasectomy
This minimally invasive technique offers a much lower complication rate than traditional vasectomy. It presents 10 times less hematomas, infections and other complications.
With no-scalpel vasectomy, patients suffer less pain and bleeding during and after surgery. It can also be performed 50% faster and men who undergo vasectomy can resume sexual activity more quickly than with the traditional method.
Patients have a single minimal wound, barely visible to the naked eye, and closure is much faster than with the two incisions of conventional vasectomy.
Results of no-scalpel vasectomy
The contraceptive effectiveness of vasectomy is 99-99.5%, since it interrupts the passage of sperm through their natural ducts.
After the vasectomy is performed, spermatozoa continue to remain in the seminal duct. It takes 20 to 25 ejaculations to completely expel all the sperm.
During this period (approximately 2 months) the use of other contraceptive methods is necessary.
Spontaneous recanalization of the vas deferens may occur in less than 0.4% of cases, with this complication appearing during the first six months in most cases.
Risks of vasectomy
Vasectomy is a safe technique, which, when performed with the needle-free, no-scalpel technique, has a much lower rate of complications than with the traditional technique. However, there are a number of risks and complications that the patient should be aware of:
- Some patients may be allergic to local anesthetics.
- Appearance of testicular swelling or inflammation that may require treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and usually goes away in a few days.
- Hematoma may appear in 0.5-1% of cases.
- Infection is very rare and if it appears it usually subsides with antibiotic treatment and in exceptional cases may require another surgery.
- Manifestation of a nodule (sperm granuloma) at the vasectomy site.
It may cause pain that usually disappears with anti-inflammatory drugs. Rarely, surgery with local anesthesia is required to resolve it.
Regarding sexuality, vasectomy does not involve any sexual modifications.
In those cases in which the patient wishes to return to his initial situation, vasectomy can be reversed by microsurgery (vaso-vasostomy), although it should be noted that this is a much more expensive surgery.