Vasectomies are an increasingly popular form of contraception in Australia, with around 25,000 people undergoing the procedure each year. Around 30% of men over the age of forty have already had “the snip”! These statistics may surprise you; however, the innovations in modern medicine mean that men can have a vasectomy at a clinic with a doctor — rather than being an outpatient at the hospital – with minimum interruption to their lives. Read on to learn all about having a vasectomy procedure with a doctor.
Before the procedure
As with most procedures, you’ll meet with your vasectomy doctor for a consultation beforehand. Your doctor will explain the procedure to you in detail, and you can use this time to ask any questions that you might have. The doctor will also ask you some questions and give you an overall assessment to ensure the procedure is right for you circumstances, and that it can be performed safely with local anaesthetic.
Depending on the clinic that you’re having your vasectomy at, you may need a referral from your GP. Here at Circumcision Vasectomy Australia, you don’t need a referral from your GP before booking the consultation or undergoing “the snip” itself.
It is very important you have a consultation prior to your procedure to ensure you fully understand and comprehend what a vasectomy means for you. It is also very important to be medically assessed prior to the surgical date to ensure you are medically fit.
The procedure
There are multiple vasectomy techniques that doctors perform. They all end with the same result (sterilisation) with a few differing intricacies. The two general categories these techniques can be split into are “conventional” and “no scalpel”. The difference between the two is how your doctor will access the part that needs to be “snipped”.
Here at Circumcision Vasectomy Australia, our doctors provide the “no scalpel” technique. As you’ve probably guessed, no scalpels or knives are required. The innovative no scalpel technique allows for quicker healing times and minimal discomfort. Here’s exactly what your vasectomy doctor will be doing during the procedure:
Apply local anaesthetic
The doctor will use a small needle inject a nerve blocker, or local anaesthetic, into the skin of your scrotum. This means you’ll be awake during the procedure, but won’t be able to feel anything. This won’t hurt, but will be more like a “sting” that only lasts a minute. Some patients like to read or listen to music while the procedure is taking place – but it’s up to you. Our priority is ensuring you’re comfortable throughout.
“The snip”
Once the area is numb, your doctor will make a small puncture (2mm-3mm, around the size of a needle) in the scrotum to access the vas deferens. The vas deferens are the two tubes that take sperm from your testes to your urethra. Once the vas deferens have been located, your vasectomy doctor will cut each of them.
Here at Circumcision Vasectomy Australia, we use the “open ended” technique, which means that we leave one of the ends of the newly cut vas deferens open, and one closed. This is to minimise post-procedure pain. We also implement the “fascial interposition” technique, where a layer of tissue is placed between the newly cut ends of the vas deferens, to minimise the chance that they’ll fuse back together on their own.
No stitches required
Once the technique outlined above is complete, we gently glue the 2-3mm incision together. Conveniently, this means you can drive yourself to the comfort of your home to rest and there is no need to return to remove stitches.
How long does the procedure take?
The procedure itself is quick, taking around 20 minutes to complete. The consultation prior also takes around 20 minutes, as does the waiting period afterwards to ensure that you are feeling okay to go home. So, altogether, you could have your vasectomy procedure complete in one hour.
Recovery
Every body and vasectomy clinic is different, so recovery experiences will vary. If you’ve undergone a vasectomy with us here at Circumcision Vasectomy Australia, our “no scalpel” method means you’ll be on the mend in just a few days.
You may have minimal discomfort post procedure which can be managed with paracetamol, icing and wearing supportive underwear to minimise scrotum movement.
You should try and avoid bike riding and contact sports for 4 weeks, but you can do light physical activity 1 week out from your visit to the vasectomy clinic.
If you’re considering a vasectomy, or would like to know more about our clinic, procedure or have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team today.
About The Author
Dr. Shehab Abdalla is the Director of Circumcision Vasectomy Australia. He has completed a fellowship through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and now specialises in circumcisions and vasectomies.
Connect with Dr. Shehab Abdalla on LinkedIn
