There are more than 500,000 vasectomies performed in the United States every year. As many as 6% of men who have the procedure done will eventually seek out vasectomy reversal of the procedure. This is ten times more common in men who have the vasectomy performed under the age of thirty. While having the vasectomy procedure is a quick outpatient procedure, the reversal is not similar. Instead of 30-60 minutes, a reversal takes 3-5 hours and must be performed under general anesthetic.
How successful is a vasectomy reversal?
A vasectomy reversal can be accomplished, but the longer the time frame after the initial vasectomy, the lower the chances of success. Reversal success rates are 75% for patients 5 years or less removed from their vasectomy. That rate drops to approximately 40-50 % at 8 years, and to 30% or less after 10 or more years. It is important to discuss goals of fertility, and also find out the health and fertility of your significant other before deciding if the procedure is the correct choice for your situation.
What other techniques are there for pregnancy after vasectomy?
Vasectomy reversal may be the best option if you are trying to have children after a vasectomy. However, there are other options including sperm aspiration or retrieval techniques. These involve minimally invasive or open surgery to obtain live sperm from the testicles. The sperm are then used in different fertilization methods to achieve pregnancy including, In Vitro fertilization (IVF), and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
How much do vasectomy reversal procedures cost?
Vasectomy reversal requires general anesthetic and significant operating room time. Most insurance companies do not cover this procedure, and many patients are faced with out of pocket costs. If you are considering this procedure, our staff is able to give an estimated cost to you before you make your decision final. There are always exceptions, but expect a cost of one to three thousand dollars in order to have the surgery performed.
How long is the recovery after a vasectomy reversal?
While the vasectomy reversal procedure is quite involved, the recovery is very manageable. Most men describe their pain level to be similar to their original vasectomy. Men are expected to avoid exercise, heavy lifting, and ejaculate for 1 week. Then, semen analysis are periodically checked every 1-3 months after surgery to identify live sperm.
Why Adult Pediatric Urology?
Adult Pediatric Urology, PC have 7 board-certified physicians and an attentive, dedicated staff. We have served Nebraska and Iowa since 1982 with two locations in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Our Omaha location includes an accredited outpatient surgical center with state-of-the-art equipment and a comfortable waiting area just minutes from Interstate 680. Our physicians successfully perform hundreds of traditional and no-scalpel vasectomies every year.
What to Expect
When you call to set up an appointment we will schedule a brief consultation with one of our expert urologists. After the consult, our billing department will help you determine what (if any) out-of-pocket costs you can expect. Then we will schedule your procedure in our outpatient surgery center depending on your preference.
