What to Expect
Day before surgery:
All vasectomy reversal patients are seen by Dr. Shep in his office no later than the day before surgery. On rare occasion, the testis is abnormally small or may even contain a cancer, and it is important to know this information beforehand. The patient is given all of his prescriptions, receives all of his counseling, and finalizes the required paperwork and anesthesia evaluations this day as well. Out-of-town patients generally stay the night in Louisville with a participating hotel partner (21C and Fairfield Inn/SpringHill Suites), who provides reduced room rates for Dr. Shep's vasectomy reversal surgical patients.
Day of surgery:
The patient is expected to arrive at the surgical center no later than 6 AM for morning cases (afternoon cases are more variable) and plan to be there with any family members for approximately 5-6 hours total. Vasectomy reversal is a more delicate and involved procedure than the initial vasectomy, requiring a surgical time of 2-3 hours and 1-2 hours of recovery. All surgeries are performed in a microsurgical suite at Jewish Hospital under general anesthesia. All of the stitches are buried under the skin and dissolve with time, allowing for a hassle-free recovery. The patient is given detailed instructions on post-operative care when leaving the hospital.
Getting home:
We require every patient to make arrangements in advance so they will not have to drive themselves home, or to a local hotel, after surgery. Even several hours after a vasectomy reversal surgery, the anesthesia makes it unsafe to drive. Having someone with you will also ensure you are following proper recovery procedures and receiving prescribed medications on time. For patients with short travel times (generally 2 hours or less), it is OK to go home the day of surgery. For longer drives or short flights home, it is recommended that patients stay in Louisville the night of surgery. For longer domestic or international flights (2 hours or more), it is recommended that patients stay 2 nights after his vasectomy reversal surgery before traveling home.