Pre- And Post- Operative Care for Vasectomy

Important considerations before having a vasectomy

A vasectomy is considered a permanent form of contraception. If the following apply to you, a vasectomy may be the right choice for you:

  • You don’t want to father another child under any circumstances.

  • You and your partner want to enjoy sex without the worry of a future pregnancy.

  • You want to save your partner from the surgery of having her tubes tied, which carries a higher risk and failure rate than a vasectomy.

A vasectomy may NOT be right for you if the following apply to you:

  • You are very young.

  • Your current relationship is not stable.

  • You are having the vasectomy just to please your partner.

  • You are counting on being able to reverse the procedure at a later stage. Vasectomy reversal is a more complicated surgery than the original vasectomy procedure. Reversal success rates are around 70%, and vary based on the length of times since the original vasectomy procedure. Dr Stearn does not offer vasectomy reversals.

Is it the right time for my vasectomy?

It is important to be certain that you are content with the number of children that you have. We recommend waiting until your youngest child is over the age of six months, before deciding to have a vasectomy.

Should I store sperm?

Having a vasectomy is a serious decision, as it is carried out with the intent of creating permanent sterility. Some men change their minds later on about their desire to have more children. There are several reasons for this, which may include: death of a spouse, death of a child, divorce, separation, or simply changing their minds. Therefore the decision on whether to store sperm as a way to potentially conceive a child in the future is an important one. Conception using stored sperm is not guaranteed, and the necessary medical insemination process may be costly. Cryogenic sperm storage is a good insurance policy, but is not a fully reliable method. If you are concerned about your future ability to conceive a child, then the vasectomy itself should be reconsidered.

Instructions Before Your Vasectomy

You will have a consultation appointment in our clinic with Dr Stearn prior to your surgery. Your vasectomy surgery will be booked at this appointment.

The week before your vasectomy

Please do not take any aspirin or any other anti-inflammatory medication starting seven days prior to your vasectomy. You will also need to entirely avoid Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, such as Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Advil, Naproxen, Diclofenac, and others, starting seven days prior to your procedure. These medications thin the blood, and thereby increase the risk of bleeding. You may still take other pain relief medication, such as Tylenol.

Two days before your vasectomy

Please avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before and after the surgery.

Wash and then shave your scrotum two nights before your surgery. We recommend shaving then instead of the night before so that any discomfort due to shaving will have passed before you come into the clinic for your vasectomy procedure.

The day of your vasectomy

Please wear supportive underwear to your vasectomy appointment, and avoid wearing boxer shorts, as they do not provide the necessary support. Wear comfortable clothing, and choose pants that you won’t mind getting iodine on after the procedure. We recommend that you wear a T-shirt, as the procedure room can get warm. The heat of the procedure room relaxes the scrotum, thereby making the procedure easier to perform. Remember to eat a good breakfast before the procedure, and minimize coffee or caffeine intake. Plan to arrive at the clinic 15 minutes prior to your appointment time.

Shaving Before Your Vasectomy

For our much improved visibility and for hygienic reasons (keeping hair out of the surgical area), we recommend that you shave two days prior to your vasectomy, from the base of the penis and along front and sides of your scrotum. Avoid dry shaving, and instead do it while showering. The image below shows where to shave.

Instructions After Your Vasectomy

The First 48 Hours After Vasectomy

  • Following your vasectomy you should go home and rest for the remainder of the day and evening. Plan on being a couch potato for the first two days after your vasectomy, and minimize any kind of activity as much as possible.

  • Some men have no pain at all, whilst others may have aches in the groin or abdomen. This is because the testes originate from the abdomen as an embryo, and therefore share some of the same nerve supplies. If you have pain you can take 2 tablets of extra strength Tylenol every 6 hours. Please however, do NOT take any Aspirin, Advil, or any other non steroidal anti-inflammatories for the first day after your vasectomy.

  • Continue to avoid alcohol for the first 24 hours after your vasectomy.

  • If you have a sedentary office job you may return to work the next day, provided you remain seated at your job for the first week after your vasectomy.

  • If you have an office job that requires you to walk and stand, it is recommended that you stay home for a week after your vasectomy.

  •  If you have a physical job (construction, police officer, EMT, fire fighter, professional athlete), you will need to stay at home for a week after your vasectomy.

The First Week After Vasectomy

  • Do not strain yourself at all for at least a week after your vasectomy. Do not lift anything heavier than 15 pounds.

  • Avoid sex and ejaculation for one week after your vasectomy.

  • Light blood in the semen for the first few ejaculations following your vasectomy is completely normal, and is no cause for concern.

  • You may take a gentle shower the morning after your vasectomy, but avoid bathing, or sitting in a hot tub. Keep the incision clean and dry, apart from taking a gentle shower.

  • Wear your supportive underwear for an entire week following your vasectomy.

  • Call Dr Stearn if you notice ongoing bleeding.

  • Some discoloration on the skin around the puncture site (blue and black) is normal for a few days. This will gradually go away.

  • Call Dr Stearn if you get a fever, your scrotum gets very red, or if you notice any unusual discharge.

  • Try to stay off your feet as much as possible for the entire first week, and avoid any exertion, exercise, extensive walking, climbing, jogging or sports. After one week you may resume normal activity, although you should still avoid strenuous activities for another week.

  • You may notice a lump on each side of your scrotum for the first few weeks following your vasectomy. This is a scar where we cut and sealed your vas. It usually feels like a knot, about the size of a pea, and may swell to the size of a marble. It may be tender for a few weeks. However, it will become smaller and non-tender over time.

The Second Week After Vasectomy

  • Please continue to avoid any unnecessary exertion, exercise, extensive walking, climbing, jogging or any sports for a second week after your vasectomy. You run the risk of hurting yourself with excessive straining.

  • Keep in mind that any surgery may take up to 3 months to heal completely.

Post- Vasectomy Semen Testing

You will NOT be sterile directly after your vasectomy, and you will therefore need to use temporary birth control like condoms until a follow-up semen analysis confirms that there are no sperm present. You will be given instructions on how to get your sperm tested.

Confirm Vasectomy Effectiveness

You will need to have your semen tested after a minimum of 3 months post-vasectomy and 20-25 ejaculations. The chance of sperm passing through the blockage in the sperm tubes is extremely small, especially once the sperm tubes are cut, cauterized and then separated by the fascial sheath barrier, but failure is still possible. We are pleased to report that the vasectomy technique that we use has an outstanding success rate with very low complications. However, it is still essential to have your semen tested to confirm that there is no more sperm present.

Important information on post-vasectomy semen analysis

  • Please abstain from having sex or ejaculating for two days before you collect your specimen.

  • Collect the semen by masturbating directly into a sealed, sterile specimen container. If you lose a portion of the semen, throw the container out and collect your specimen at another time.

  • If you have misplaced the container, please get another one – ask for a urine analysis container. Please do not use any other type of container.

  • Close the container tightly. Label it with your first and last name, date of birth, plus the date and time that you produced the semen sample.

  • Deliver your specimen to the laboratory immediately (within 1 hour) after collection, keeping the container warm in your pocket or next to your body en route.