No-scalpel Vasectomy
In the no-scalpel vasectomy, no surgical knife is used. Instead, a mini-clamp is used to hold the vas deferens while a puncture incision (instead of a cut) is made with special forceps. The forceps are opened to stretch the skin, making a small hole through which the vas deferens is lifted out. The vas deferens are cut and sutured and the ends cauterized. The two ends of the cut vas deferens are then buried in different tissue planes and put back in the scrotum. The puncture incision does not require suturing.
At the end of surgery, the puncture wound is hardly noticeable. There is no need to remove any sutures. There is minimal postoperative discomfort. Risk of bleeding and infection is very low. Vasectomy does not increase the risk of prostate cancer. It does not affect erection, sexual desire or the ability to ejaculate.
Vasectomy is a Day Surgery procedure. It can be done under 1) local anaesthesia, 2) general anaesthesia or 3) sedation plus local anesthesia. Most patients prefer general anaesthesia. The procedure takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Patients rest for a couple of hours in the Day Surgery ward before going home with some painkillers. The patient returns in a week’s time for review of histology and surgical wounds.
Three months after vasectomy, a seminal analysis is done to confirm the absence of sperms. Meanwhile other forms of contraception such as condoms must be used.
