Some of the most common questions we get.
Vasectomy is a simple, safe and effective form of contraception for men who don’t want anymore children and for men who don’t want any children.
Vasectomy involves blocking the vas deferens to prevent the flow of sperm from the testicles into the semen. Sperm makes up only 2-5% of semen and the remaining fluid is produced by the prostate, seminal vesicles and bulbourethral glands located in the pelvis near the bladder. This remaining semen fluid is not affected by getting a vasectomy, except that it will no longer contain sperm, so you won’t notice any change to the volume of semen ejaculated after having a vasectomy.
If you would like to learn more about Dr Masterson’s mini-needle no-scalpel open-ended vasectomy technique please click here.
No referral is required, you can book your vasectomy directly by clicking here.
Vasectomy is the most effective means of contraception. Vasectomy failure rates are far lower than condoms, the pill, the intrauterine device and female sterilisation with tubal ligation.
After a vasectomy sperm is still produced in the testicles and travel upstream into the vas deferens. Once the sperm reaches the site of the open-ended vasectomy they tip out into the scrotum and are reabsorbed by the body.
Vasectomy will not affect your testosterone levels, libido or erecticle function, in fact most guys report an improvement in their sex life after having a vasectomy as they no longer need to use alternative contraception and are less concerned about causing an unintended pregnancy.
Most men feel anxious leading up to their vasectomy, usually because they are concerned that it may be painful. However the reality is that the vast majority of men are pleasantly surprised with how quick, easy and neat their vasectomy is. Most men describe their vasectomy as being no worse than a trip to the dentist for a routine check-up.
Dr Masterson has a friendly and welcoming approach and has lots of experience putting guys at ease before and during their vasectomy.
You may also wish to focus on some relaxing breathing techniques or listen to some of your own music during your vasectomy to help relieve any anxiety.
Men over the age of 18 are eligible for a vasectomy. If you are between the ages of 18-25 and do not have any children you will need to have a phone consultation with Dr Masterson prior to having your vasectomy.
Yes, vasectomy is reversible. However the reversal surgery is expensive and is not always successful. It is important that you are sure about getting a vasectomy and consider it as permanent contraception. If you are not sure about getting a vasectomy we recommend speaking with your GP or discussing it with Dr Masterson. Get in touch via the online enquiry form here.
No surgical procedure is without its potential risks and vasectomy is no exception. Dr Masterson performs the no-scalpel open-ended vasectomy technique with fascial interposition to help minimise the risks associated with vasectomy. It is important to be aware of the following potential risks:
Bleeding can occur during or after a vasectomy but is uncommon with our no-scalpel vasectomy technique.
Infection is very rare after vasectomy. If infection does occur after your vasectomy it will usually respond well to antibiotic tablets. If you have poorly controlled diabetes your risk of infection is increased, so it is important to have your diabetes checked with your GP or Endocrinologist prior to having your vasectomy to make sure your HbA1c is less than 7.5%
If you would like to discuss your diabetes and how this may impact on getting a vasectomy please click here to book a phone consultation with Dr Masterson.
Sperm granuloma is a pea sized bump of scar tissue that can form near the vas deferens after a vasectomy. It is rare, usually unnoticeable and requires no treatment.
Congestive epididymitis refers to pain that can occur after a vasectomy when sperm get trapped and build up in the epididymis. The epididymis is the tightly-coiled tube that connects the testicle to the vas deferens. The open-ended vasectomy performed by Dr Masterson allows sperm to flow from the epididymis, into the vas deferens and empty out of the open end of the vas deferens into the scrotum. This technique significantly reduces the risk of congestive epididymitis. If congestive epididymitis occurs it is easily treated with anti-inflammatory tablets.
Post-vasectomy pain syndrome is very rare and is characterised by pain that can persist for several months or years after vasectomy. Most men who develop this condition will only have a low grade pain and usually gets better over time with anti-inflammatory medications. In very rare circumstances a vasectomy reversal may be required to help relieve the symptoms. Dr Masterson performs the no-scalpel open-ended vasectomy technique to minimise the risk of post-vasectomy pain syndrome.
Vasectomy failure is very rare and occurs when the ends of the vas deferens rejoin. Dr Masterson minimises the risk of failure by performing the advanced technique of intraluminal diathermy and fascial interposition. The vast majority of failures occur in the first 3 months (early failure) and are detected in the post-vasectomy semen test. In very rare circumstances the vas deferens can rejoin many months or years down the track (late failure). Despite the very small risk of failure, vasectomy is still considered to be the most reliable method of contraception when compared with condoms, the pill, Implanon, intrauterine devices such as Mirena, and female sterilisation (tubal ligation).
Yes, it is completely fine to have a vasectomy with local anaesthetic even if you have had previous scrotal surgery.
Dr Masterson has particular expertise performing vasectomy for men who have had prior scrotal surgery and has successfully completed vasectomy with local anaesthetic in men who have had:
We accept all payment methods except for Diners Club or cash payments.
Most men feel anxious leading up to their vasectomy, usually because they are concerned that it may be painful. However the reality is that the vast majority of men are pleasantly surprised with how quick, easy and neat their vasectomy is. Most men describe their vasectomy as being no worse than a trip to the dentist for a routine check-up.
Our no-scalpel open-ended technique is very simple and easy and is performed at a relaxed pace in 10-15 minutes.
Mini-needle is the technique of delivering fast acting local anaesthetic to the scrotal skin and vas deferens. We use a mini needle to help reduce any discomfort.
Our no-scalpel technique means that we don’t need to use a scalpel to cut the scrotal skin. We create a 4-5mm keyhole opening by gently poking through the skin using a specialised vasectomy forcep known as a “Li Forcep”.
After the vas deferens is accessed through the keyhole opening it is divided so that there are two ends. The upper portion of the vas deferens is known as the prostatic end, and the lower half of the vas deferens is known as the testicular end. The prostatic end of the vas deferens is sealed using a hyfrecator and fascial interposition is then performed over this end. The testicular end remains outside of the fascia and is not sealed, it thus remains “open-ended”. The advantage of the open-ended technique is that sperm are allowed to escape from the testicles and epididymis, this prevents congestion and results in less risk of pain after your vasectomy.
Get in touch via the online enquiry form here.
The fascia consists of a few layers of membranous tissue that naturally surrounds the vas deferens, similar to the way insulation surrounds electrical wire.
When the vas deferens is divided the upper end drops nicely into a pocket of surrounding fascia allowing fascial interposition to easily be performed. Fascial interposition is performed by fixing a small section of your surrounding fascia over the divided upper end of the vas deferens to create a natural tissue barrier and prevent the two ends rejoining. The lower “testicular” end of the vas deferens remains outside of the fascia. Fascial interposition is considered the Gold-Standard technique for vasectomy and significantly reduces the chances of the vas deferens rejoining after your vasectomy.
Dr Masterson’s vasectomy technique does not use metal clips. He uses a fine internal suture thread to perform fascial interposition by fixing a small section of your surrounding fascia over the divided upper end of the vas deferens to create a natural tissue barrier and prevent the two ends rejoining.
A hyfrecator is a commonly used safe form of electrosurgery. A controlled low power current is used to gently heat up the inside of the upper end of the vas deferens lumen to ensure it is sealed off to prevent sperm from travelling further upstream into the semen.
All our vasectomies are performed with local anaesthetic, which does not cause drowsiness, so it is generally fine to drive yourself home after vasectomy. The majority of patients do drive themselves home after vasectomy, however some prefer to have a friend or relative drive them home.
Most men have a mild ache after their vasectomy which lasts about 2-3 days. This discomfort can be minimised by supporting the scrotum with firm fitting underwear and avoiding prolonged walking or standing in the first 2-3 days. Applying ice over the underwear intermittently for the first 1-2 days can also help prevent bruising and speed up recovery.
We recommend you avoid sex for 7 days after your vasectomy.
We advise that you avoid heavy lifting or straining for 7-10 days. It may be worth asking your employer if light duties are available while you recover. If your job doesn’t involve heavy lifting you can go back to work the following day after your vasectomy. We can provide you with a medical certificate on the day of your vasectomy.
Yes, it is important to perform your sperm test 3 months after your vasectomy to confirm that it has been successful. There are still millions of sperm in the pipes downstream from the site of vasectomy and these can still cause pregnancy. These sperm are gradually cleaned out with each ejaculation after your vasectomy. We recommend at least 20 ejaculations prior to performing your sperm test after 3 months. If you complete your 20 ejaculations earlier you will still need to wait until the 3 month mark before you perform the sperm test, as there is a small risk of the vas deferens rejoining in the first 3 months. You will need to keep using additional means of contraception until you receive your sperm result from us. Learn more here
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