Overview
A vasectomy reversal procedure is delicate surgery 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. A vasectomy reversal procedure is done to re-establish the flow of sperm from the testicle into the ejaculate, making the man fertile again.
A vasectomy reversal procedure is very safe, with few complications, but is more involved 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 vasectomy reversal procedure be done with an operating microscope and have a high-volume practice. Using magnifying surgical glasses is simply not good enough, and urologists who perform only an occasional vasectomy reversal procedure may struggle reaching the high success rates seen at dedicated centers.
All procedures are performed in a microsurgical suite in Louisville in an outpatient setting, meaning patients are discharged home the day of surgery. The procedure 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.