

They then make a tiny puncture hole in the skin of your scrotum to reach the tubes. The doctor first numbs your scrotum with local anaesthetic. The cuts are stitched, usually using dissolvable stitches that go away on their own within about a week. The ends of the tubes are then closed, either by tying them or sealing them using heat. They then make 2 small cuts in the skin on each side of your scrotum to reach the tubes that carry sperm out of your testicles (vas deferens).Įach tube is cut and a small section removed. The doctor first numbs your scrotum with a local anaesthetic.

The doctor doing your vasectomy will discuss which option is best for you. a conventional vasectomy using a scalpel (surgical knife).In most cases, you'll be able to return home the same day. How a vasectomy is carried outĪ vasectomy is a quick and relatively painless surgical procedure. This means that when a man ejaculates, the semen has no sperm in it and a woman's egg can't be fertilised. The tubes that carry sperm from a man's testicles to the penis are cut, blocked or sealed with heat. A vasectomy doesn't protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so you may need to use condoms as well.Ī vasectomy works by stopping sperm getting into a man's semen, the fluid that he ejaculates.It's very difficult to reverse, so be sure it's right for you.As with any surgery, there's a small risk of infection.Your ball sack (scrotum) may become bruised, swollen or painful – some men have ongoing pain in their testicles.Up to 2 semen tests are done after the operation to make sure that all the sperm have gone.You'll need to use contraception for at least 8 to 12 weeks after the operation, because sperm will still be in the tubes leading to the penis.You'll still have erections and ejaculate, but your semen won't contain sperm. It doesn't affect your sex drive or ability to enjoy sex.It's considered permanent, so once it's done you don't have to think about contraception again.A vasectomy is more than 99% effective.In rare cases, you may have a general anaesthetic, where you're asleep during the operation. It's usually carried out under local anaesthetic, where you're awake but don't feel any pain, and takes about 15 minutes. A vasectomy (male sterilisation) is a surgical procedure to cut or seal the tubes that carry a man's sperm to permanently prevent pregnancy.
