Overview
Vasectomy reversal is a surgical procedure performed in men who have previously had a vasectomy performed. While designed to be permanent, surgery can be done to help men become fertile again and father more children.
During a vasectomy, the vas deferens - the tube that carries sperm from the testicle - is severed. Vasectomy reversal is done to re-establish the flow of sperm from the testicle into the ejaculate, making the man fertile again.
Vasectomy reversal is very safe, with few complications, but is more involved and delicate than the initial vasectomy. The vas deferens is about the size of a round shoelace, and the inner channel measures about half of a millimeter, incredibly small! The sutures used are nearly invisible to the naked eye, making the use of microsurgical magnification essential. To obtain the high success rates seen at microsurgical practices like ours, it is critical that the operating surgeon use an operating microscope and have a high-volume practice. Using magnifying surgical glasses is simply not good enough, and urologists who perform only occasional reversal surgery may struggle reaching the high success rates seen at dedicated centers.
All surgeries are performed in a microsurgical suite in Louisville in an outpatient setting, meaning patients are discharged home the day of surgery. The surgery takes roughly three hours and is performed with general anesthesia. All the stitches used are buried under the skin and do not require removal, minimizing post-operative discomfort.