Medical Questions » Contraception Questions » Question No. 232
Question: | My wife wants me to have a vasectomy, and I think it is probably a good idea, but I would like to know a bit about what happens during this operation. |
Answer: | Sperm are produced by the testes throughout adult life at a relatively constant rate. The sperm enter a complex network of small tubules which unite to form the sperm tube (vas deferens). The sperm pass along this tube to a storage sac (the seminal vesicle) where they await the next ejaculation.
The walls of the sperm storage sac secrete a fluid which nourishes the sperm, and along with an exudate from the prostate gland, forms 95% of the semen passed by the man during intercourse.
When he ejaculates, the sperm and supporting fluid (called semen when combined) pass down the sperm tube to its junction with the urethra, and then along this tube to the outside of the penis.
In the operation, a local anaesthetic numbs the side of the scrotum, and through a small incision, the doctor cuts, burns and ties the sperm tube (vas deferens) so no further sperm can pass along it from the testes. This may be done in the doctor' s rooms, or as a day patient in a private hospital.
The procedure is very simple and brief, and no pain is felt. There may be some bruising and discomfort of the scrotum for a few days after the operation, but other complications are rare.
The operation should be considered to be a form of permanent sterilisation, and although reversal is sometimes possible, you should not proceed unless you are completely sure that this is what you want.
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