PLEASE READ THIS PAMPHLET VERY CAREFULLY – IF YOU NEED ANY CLARIFICATION, PLEASE ASK THE DOCTOR.

• How can I be sure about Vasectomy ?
  
  Vasectomy may be the answer to your birth control problems. However, the operation should be considered IRREVERSIBLE and not undertaken unless you are absolutely sure that you will not want to father children in future. Approximately 2-6% of vasectomied patients return for reversal due to change in circumstances. Success rates in these patients are less than 60%.
  
  Vasectomy has no effect on the male sex organs, as the male hormone continues to be secreted into the blood stream.
  
  The quantity of semen ejaculated remains the same, except that it contains no sperms. The operation does not change who you are and how you feel about sex. It only prevents you from fathering children.
  
  Here are several questions, you should consider before making the decision to be sterilized. Discuss them with your wife or partner, although her consent is not legally required.
  
  
  1. If one of your existing children were to die , would you want another ?
  2. Are you old enough to make such final decision about parenthood ?
  3. Is there a chance that your marriage or present relationship might break-up ? sometimes people think that sterilization will solve a marital or sexual problem. It will not. Should you start a new relationship, you may then regret that you cannot father children.
  4. Do you think your ability to father children affects they way you feel about yourself as a man ?
     
     The operation will not affect your sexual feeling, but if you fear sterilization will affect your feeling of masculinity, then you need to think very carefully before deciding upon a vasectomy.
  5. Have you and your partner tried alternative methods of contraception ?
     
     If these have failed or are unsuitable then perhaps vasectomy is the answer. If you feel that you have not resolved these issues with your partner and would like to talk to a Doctor together, you can book for a separate consultation session to see the Doctor only.

  In come cases there is persistence on non-motile sperms. Although these are not viable sperms and unlikely to cause pregnancy, their presence means that effectively you are not technically sterile. If these few non-motile sperm continue for 7 months or more after vasectomy, we give a “special clearance” as per the new guidelines per the Royal college of Gynecologist, which suggests that thought technically you are not sterile, but practically you are infertile. The chances of such a person making a lady pregnant is extremely low. However, if some person requests for further tests until a negative sperm count is obtained, I shall be happy to arrange so.

  ONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING POSSIBILITIES
  
  FAILURE RATE :
  1. This method of sterilization carries a very small failure rate. In rare cases of early joining the tubes grow back together and rejoin, usually within the first three months. In those small number of cases (approximately 0.5%) the two sperm counts never become negative. Rarely, some people may have a patent assessory vas. Again in these cases the sperm counts will never come back negative. In such cases, it has to be re-operated.
  2. In still rarer cases (approximately 0.05%) tubes can join later on (late joining), following two negative sperm counts. Therefore, very rarely, is still possible to achieve pregnancy even after becoming sterile. Nobody hasuite explained why his happens. This, unfortunately, sin only detected by pregnancy in spouse / partner.
  3. LATER EFFECTS :
     There is also a small risk in that a very small number of cases, immediately after or a few months after the vasectomy that the patient may experience chronic testicular pain. However, the pain is usually mild and in most cases, rarely needs further medical or surgical investigation.

   

• Will I see a Doctor ?

  Yes. A Doctor will also ensure that you are committed to vasectomy and obtain your consent for the operation.
  
• How is the operation performed ?
  
  Vasectomy is a simple procedure and is usually carried out under local anesthesia. A few patients are not suitable for local anesthesia. They will be advised accordingly.A small incision is usually made in the center of the vas deferens. I.e. tubes leading from the testes to the penis, are cut and scaled by cauterization or tied so that the sperm cannit enter the semen. The procedure takes about 30 minutes.
  
• Risk of Cancer ?
  
  Cancer of the testes is a rare condition and evidence to date does not support the idea that vasectomy increases the incidence of testicular cancer.
  
• What happens after the operation ?
  
  If you come by car or live far away , arrange for some one to accompany you home. You should not drive yourself home.
  
  You should rest for 24-48 hours and avoid lifting, straining or playing with children or dogs. You may feel aching and pulling in the groin area and in some cases there will be bruising. A mild pain killer such as neurofen or paracetamol should case the discomfort.
  
  In a small number of cases, bruising/clotting may be very significant which may lead to delayed healing, prolonged time off work or rarely, a further operation. In NON SCALPEL VASECTOMY (the method we have adopted_, this risk has been significantly reduced to approximately fewer then 2%.
  
  Normally, there are no outside stitches, or if needed only dissolvable sutures are used on skin, so stitch removal is not required. You may take a shower the day after the operation. You will be given a further post operation instruction sheet at the time of surgery.
  
  You may have sex as soon as you feel like it but remember to use contraception until you have confirmation from the Doctor that the sperm is negative.
  
  As per new guidelines, we now arrange only on sperm count at 3 months after vasectomy. We will give you one plastic container and a form, and an information leaflet for collection of semen for semen analysis to be collected three months after vasectomy. It takes approximately 40 ejaculations for a person to become sterile.
  
  We inform you after receiving the specimen result and advise you of the appropriate action, i.e. you are sterile and can stop using any contraception, or if you need a further test.