No-scalpel vasectomy is a surgical technique described by Dr. Le Shunqiang in Sichuan Province, China. With it, vasectomy is performed with a minimally invasive method, without using the classic skin scalpel.
No-scalpel vasectomy: what it consists of
In order to perform it, two special instruments are required:
- A clamp with a ring-shaped end to fix the vas deferens.
- Another with a very fine end to dislacerate the skin fibers and make a mini-opening through which the vas deferens is extracted to section it and occlude both ends.
This procedure is performed under local anesthesia administered with a very fine needle, similar to that of insulin, and on an outpatient basis. In the hands of an expert in Urology, the procedure is performed in about 10-15 minutes.
No-scalpel vasectomy: advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of no-scalpel vasectomy are:
- Less aggressiveness: only a mini-opening of the skin in the middle area of the scrotum is needed.
- Less anesthesia requirements
- Fewer complications
- Minimal postoperative pain
The disadvantages are minimized by: having the specific instruments, which are very inexpensive, and having a broad understanding of the procedure.
Recommendation of no-scalpel vasectomy
This type of vasectomy can be performed on almost all types of patients. Exceptionally, some interventions may be more difficult if performed on subjects with very high testicles (at the root of the scrotum) or with a very tight scrotum.
No-scalpel vasectomy: complications
Complications are very rare. There are only two more possible: infection and hematomas. In the case of no-scalpel surgery, these are even more infrequent, as the wound and the need for anesthetic infiltration are minimal.
No-scalpel vasectomy: results
Once the vasectomy is performed, the patient does not immediately cease to be fertile. The vasectomy obstructs the passage of spermatozoa to the rest of the seminal duct instantly, but there is semen stored in the vesicles. This was formed prior to the vasectomy and therefore contains sperm.
Until all the contents of the vesicles are replaced, sperm will come out in the ejaculate. In fact, it takes a minimum of 20 ejaculations or about 3 months for this to happen.
In practice, it is recommended to keep another contraceptive method for 3 months and, thereafter, to perform a semen analysis. Once the absence of sperm is confirmed in this seminal analysis, it is possible to stop using contraceptive methods.
No-scalpel vasectomy: postoperative care
The postoperative care that the patient should follow is as follows:
- Apply antiseptic to the skin wound for one week.
- Take mild painkillers, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, for 24 and 48 hours.
- Wear a tight-fitting briefs or scrotal jockstrap for 5-7 days.
- No strenuous physical activity (sport) for 2-3 days
- No ejaculations for one week