Vasectomy Procedure in St. George, UT

You’ve probably heard chilling or funny tales about vasectomies. They’re fun to tell. But in reality, most men say that their vasectomy experience was quicker, easier, and more tolerable than they ever expected.

A vasectomy is meant to be permanent and should only be undergone with a full understanding of the procedure and after thoughtful consideration.

Vasectomy Procedure - What to Expect

If you’re confident with your decision to have a vasectomy, the urologist will step out to give you a moment to remove your pants and lay back on the exam table (no stirrups are needed) with a drape covering you. Then, the urologist or his assistant will clean the scrotum with an antibiotic soap. The doctor will numb the area with a tiny needle of medication injected into the scrotal skin. The anxiety men feel about this step is worse than the shot itself – trust us. It feels the same (most men say, it’s easier) than a numbing injection before a dental procedure – briefly uncomfortable yes, like a pinch, and then it’s over.

After the numbing medicine takes effect, you won’t feel any pain during the remainder of the procedure, although you may feel pressure. The urologist will make an incision the size of a grain of rice in the scrotum and expose the vas deferens, which looks like cooked spaghetti. He’ll snip the vas and return it to the scrotum. He’ll close the incisions with a few dissolvable sutures and cover the area with gauze to protect it.

That’s it! The doctor will review the recovery instructions with you and give you a cup for the semen sample that you’ll need to provide in a few weeks. Then he’ll leave you alone to put on tight-fitting underwear or athletic supporters and your pants. You’ll be back home before you know it.

Vasectomy Reversal

A vasectomy reversal is surgery to restore the flow of sperm through a man’s reproductive tract allowing him to father children again. The operation is done in an out-patient surgery center while the man is under general anesthesia.

The vasectomy reversals deferens (the tubes that care sperm) are very small and the suturing thread is so fine, that urologists use an operating room microscope to magnify the surgical field as they work.

Types of Vasectomy Reversals

Vasovasostomy vs Vasoepididymostomy

When people talk about a vasectomy reversal, they may not realize that there are two procedures that urologists can use depending on the man’s needs.

• Vasovasostomy is an uncomplicated vasectomy reversal. For this procedure, the urologist sutures together the two cut ends of the vas deferens restoring the flow of sperm.
• Vasoepididymostomy is a more complicated vasectomy reversal procedure. It is needed when a part of the epididymis (a tightly coiled mass of tubes in the back of the testis) has ruptured, preventing sperm from entering the vas deferens. To bypass the blockage, the urologist must connect the vas deferens to a point in the epididymis. This operation is technically challenging.

We are proud of our commitment to health care and preventive care in St. George, UT! Using only the most current techniques and technologies. At Urology Associates we've grown a reputable practice built on excellence. Schedule an appointment today for more information about our services!