At a Glance

• Vasectomy is a simple surgical procedure that makes a man permanently unable to father a child.
• All vasectomy techniques involve cutting or otherwise blocking both the vas deferens so that the man's ejaculate will no longer contain sperm, and he will not be able to make a woman pregnant.
• The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is performed in a urologist office with the aid of local anesthesia to numb the area.
• Video - Watch the video introduction to vasectomy.

Effectiveness

• Vasectomy is more than 99.85% effective as a form of permanent birth control.
• The operation is not effective immediately. A semen analysis should be performed 6 to 8 weeks after the producer to confirm sterility. Until then, the couple must continue to use another method of birth control.

Masculinity and Sexuality

• A vasectomy will not affect a man's testosterone level, sex drive, facial hair, voice and other masculine traits.
• The operation has no effect on sexuality. Erections, climaxes and the amount of ejaculate in the semen remain the same after a vasectomy.

Vasectomy Techniques

• Two common techniques for performing vasectomies are  "traditional" and "no scalpel." The difference between the techniques is subtle. It has to do with how the urologist accesses the vas deferens.
• During a traditional vasectomy, the doctor numbs the area and makes a tiny cut in the skin of the scrotum.
• During a no scalpel vasectomy, the doctor numbs the area, punctures the skin of the scrotum then stretches the skin open.
• One way to illustrate the different techniques is to imagine a sweater. A traditional vasectomy is comparable to using a blade to cut through the fabric to form a tiny hole in the sweater. The no scalpel technique is comparable to inserting tiny forceps into the weave and using them to stretch the fabric.
• Both techniques are safe and effective forms of permanent birth control. Both cost the same amount.
• The decision about which technique to use is often a matter of the patient and doctor’s preference.

Before the Vasectomy

• If your partner is pregnant now, notify your urologist. In this special circumstance, your doctor may recommend waiting until the baby is safely delivered before performing a vasectomy.
• Stop taking all aspirin or blood thinning products one week prior to the procedure.
• Arrange to be off from work for 2-3 days after the vasectomy. (Many men schedule their procedure on a Friday, recuperate over the weekend and return to work on Monday).
• The day of the procedure, carefully shave all of the hair on the scrotum. (It is not necessary to shave the entire public area, only the scrotum.)
• Bring an athletic support (jock strap) that will support the scrotum and help hold the gauze in place after the procedure. These are available at most drug stores.

• Since you may experience some discomfort and/or swelling immediately after the procedure, we recommend that you arrange for someone to drive you home from the doctor's office; however, if arranging for a driver is not feasible, you may drive yourself home.
• You may feel sore for a few days and should rest and avoid heavy lifting and exercising for three days.
• Men who have had vasectomies can return to normal activities within 24 to 48 hours of the procedure. (Many men have the procedure on a Friday and return to work on Monday.)
• A man can resume sexual activity within a few days of the vasectomy, but he must use another form of birth control until a check of his semen shows no sperm are present, usually 15-20 ejaculations or 6 to 8 weeks after the vasectomy. 
• After the requisite amount of time, the patient should bring a semen sample to any of our clinic locations. A urologist will review it to verify that there are no sperm and that the vasectomy was successful.
• Men do not need to schedule an appointment or even wait at the clinic for the results of the semen analysis; however, since samples must be reviewed within two hours of ejaculation, please call our clinic the day you plan to bring in your specimen to ensure that a physician will be available to review it. 
• Once the doctor has reviewed the sample, he will notify you of the results in person or via phone.

Cost, Insurance and Deposit 

• The majority of health insurance policies cover vasectomies.
• To verify your insurance coverage, call the phone number on the back of your insurance card and ask whether an "in office vasectomy" (code 55250) is a covered benefit. If you have a deductible, ask if you have met it for the year and what percentage of the vasectomy cost the insurance will pay. 
  • A common example is that the man has a $500 deductible and an 80/20 policy. This means that the policy holder must pay the first $500 of the family's medical expenses for the year. After that, the insurance company will pay 80 percent of the cost of covered medical services delivered by an in-network provider. The patient pays the remaining 20 percent. (Urology San Antonio is in-network with most insurances.)
• For both insured and private pay patients, Urology San Antonio requires a $100 deposit be paid at the time you call to book the appointment. Typically the deposit taken over the phone via credit card. If you need to cancel your appointment and provide at least three days notice, we will refund your full deposit; however, if you do not keep your appointment and fail to notify us in advance, we keep the deposit. This policy greatly reduces the number of “no shows” and helps us keep appointments open for men who are serious about having a vasectomy. Thank you in advance for understanding.
• After the vasectomy is completed and you have recieved your statement from you insurance comany, contact our billing office at (210) 731-2050 and we will issue you a refund check for the amount of the deposit minus the amount your insurance designates as “patient responsibility."
• For private pay patients, the procedure and post-vasectomy semen analysis costs $800. As with insured patients, a $100 deposit is required to reserve the appointment and the balance of the fee ($700) is due when the patient arrives in the office for the procedure.
• Since a vasectomy is an elective procedure, our practice does not offer payment plans.
• If we can help you with a specific billing or insurance question, call our business office at (210) 731-2050.

Schedule An Appointment

• Each of our practice's urologists preform vasectomies. Most men chose a urologist whose clinic location is convenient to them.
• Before the vasectomy, the patient must meet with the urologist to ensure that all of the man's questions have been answered and he understands the permanence of the procedure. We encourage men to bring their partners to the consultation, but this is not a requirement.
• If the man is certain he would like to undergo the procedure, he may schedule the consultation and the vasectomy back-to-back during the same visit.
• If a man is unsure whether a vasectomy is right for him, he should schedule a consultation appointment separate from the vasectomy.
  • A deposit is not required for a separate vasectomy consultation.
  • Insured patients will need to pay their office co-pay (usually $5-$40). 
  • For patients without insurance, the consultation costs $90. If the man books a vasectomy  within 21 days of the consultation, the $90 will be applied toward the $800 total vasectomy cost. (We will need to flag your account to ensure the billing process is handled correctly so when you call to schedule the vasectomy, we'd appreciate it if you would remind the scheduling staff of your special situation.)
• Ready to schedule? Review the Vasectomy Next Steps checklist.
• Forms - Download the pre and post vasectomy information packet (vasectomía Instrucciones).

Vasectomy Reversal

• A vasectomy is intended to be a permanent procedure, and men should take this fact seriously when deciding whether to undergo the procedure.
• About 5% of men who have had a vasectomy later wish to have their procedure reversed.
• Surgery to reconnect the vas deferens is available, but success cannot be guaranteed.
• The success rate for a vasectomy reversal depends primarily on the length of time that has passed since the vasectomy. 
• Vasectomy reversals are rarely covered by health insurance. At Urology San Antonio, the cost ranges from $4,500 to $10,200, depending on the surgical technique and level of difficulty of the operation.

Free Brochure

• Contact us using our website's email feature to request a free brochure about vasectomy. Be sure to provide a mailing address where we can send the materials.

In Their Own Words
Hearing from other patients can be very helpful when deciding whether to undergo a vasectomy. Want to share your story? Contact us using our website email feature.

• Randy, March 2010 - Dr. Vassar, thank you for your help today. […] You were very helpful in easing my mind about the procedure. It was not bad at all. I would rather do that than go to the dentist. I have a few friends who are thinking about a vasectomy, but wanted to see if I would actually go through with mine. I will not only recommend the procedure to them, but I would highly recommend you specifically.  […] Thank you again for your help and for being understanding of my apprehension.
• Rick, 2011 - "Doc  – got the "all clear" yesterday. Thank you for your expertise and good sense of humor. You have excellent bedside manner. Great work. I'm sending some guys your way."

Reviewed by David R. Talley, M.D.  August 3, 2010.