What to Expect From the Vasectomy Reversal Process

Some men who undergo vasectomies, especially those who receive them early in life, eventually decide that they would like to become fertile again. Fortunately, vasectomy reversal allows many of these men to restore normal fertility. Here’s how vasectomy reversal works:

Understanding the Vasectomy

In order to understand vasectomy reversal, it is necessary to understand vasectomy. If you’ve already had a vasectomy, most of this information is probably familiar to you, but it may be useful to review. The vasectomy is a fairly straightforward procedure. In healthy male genitalia, sperm is created in the testes and sent to the prostate through a small tube called the vas deferens, one of which exists for each testicle. All that is required to surgically cause infertility is to cut and tie off the vas deferens. This does not affect sexual function in any way other than to eliminate sperm from the semen, making reproduction impossible.

Reversing a Vasectomy

There are two basic techniques used to reverse vasectomies . The simplest and most common is the vasovasostomy. During this procedure, the sealed, severed ends of the vas deferens are recovered and reattached to each other, permitting sperm to flow freely from the testes into the prostate, and restoring normal fertility. Sometimes, it will not be possible for your surgeon to reconnect the two parts of the vas deferens; in this case, he will perform a vasoepididymostomy, connecting the vas deferens directly to the epididymis, a tube which branches directly from the testes.

Undergoing the Procedure

A typical reverse vasectomy takes up to an hour for each side. During the procedure, patients are given anesthetics to prevent them from feeling pain. After your surgery, you’ll be required to wear a support to prevent excessive movement of the testicles and may experience bruising and soreness for about a week. Bandages may generally be removed after about a week.

If you are interested in reversing your vasectomy in order to have children naturally, The Center for Vasectomy Reversal and Male Infertility can help. Contact our Tampa office at (941) 343-4020 to learn more about your fertility options.