Traditionally, the conventional technique was done with a scalpel (a very sharp blade), which tended to cause bleeding, the need for stiches inside the scrotum, and increased swelling, bruising and discomfort after the operation.
The no-scalpel vasectomy uses a so-called hyfrecator, that does all the necessary “cutting” with help of electricity. The advantage here is that any blood vessels that are being hit will be immediately cauterised, which in turn means that most of our procedures are fairly or even completely bloodless.
The following will happen when you come in for your vasectomy with us:
– You first will be asked to take off your trousers and pants and lie down on our operation table before you will be covered with a – “modesty” sheet of paper
– Your bottom will come to lie on a metal plate or “earth plate” which we need to use in conjunction with above mentioned hyfrecator
– The doctor will then use an antiseptic fluid to wipe your scrotum with to reduce an infection risk
– Your lower half will then be covered with a larger sheet which will just leave the scrotum visible
– The doctor will then examine your scrotum to ensure that they can feel the tubes(vas) on both sides
– Now the first injection will be given into the skin and around the part of the tube that will be cut (no injection will be given into the testicle!)
– After each injection the doctor will wait for around a minute to give the anaesthetic the chance to have its full effect
– Now a ringed forceps will be used to encircle the tube/vas for the surgeon to be able to bring the vas to the surface to treat it with the hyfrecator
– After the treatment/cutting of each vas with help of the hyfrecator the ring forceps will be removed to allow the vas to slide back into its normal position in the scrotum
– At the very end, depending on the surgeons preference, one stitch may be put into the incision wound on the scrotum or it may be left open. You will then be free to get dressed and have the after-operation chat with the doctor
– During the after-op chat you will be provided with some more information, importantly also how to organise the check of your semen sample after 4 months to ensure that the procedure was successful
Benefits of the No-Scalpel Technique
– Average time off work after a no scalpel vasectomy is 1.8 days, rather than 3.5 days with the standard vasectomy.
– The rate of complications such as haematoma, and infection, is just 0.4% compared with the 3.4% for conventional vasectomy.
– The duration of the procedure is less than 20 minutes on average – up to 50% faster than conventional techniques.
– The rate of complications was much lower in the no scalpel group, recovery was faster and the rate of pain, bruising and swelling was tenfold less than in men who had undergone standard vasectomy.