Vasectomy

Vasectomy is a minor surgical procedure wherein the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied or sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream

Types

Typically done in an outpatient setting, a traditional vasectomy involves numbing (local anesthetic) of the scrotum after which 1 (or 2) small incisions are made, allowing a surgeon to gain access to the vas deferens. The "tubes" are cut and sealed by tying, stitching, cauterization (burning), or otherwise clamped to prevent sperm from entering the seminal stream. Variations of the procedure have been explored/used in hopes of reducing recovery time and pain (in recovery and post-surgery). The "Vas-Clip" method does not require cutting the Vas Deferens, but rather uses a clip to squeeze shut the flow of sperm. This method claims reduced pain in recovery, but statistics suggest a lower overall success rate compared to traditional methods. The No-Scalpel method (coined Key-Hole),[2] in which a sharp hemostat, rather than a scalpel, is used to puncture the scrotum may reduce healing times as well as mitigate the chance of infection. An "open-ended" vasectomy obstructs (seals) only one end of the vas deferens, which allows continued streaming of sperm (by virtue of the un-sealed vas-deferens) into the scrotum. This method may avoid build-up of pressure in the epididymis. Testicular pain (from "backup pressure") may also be reduced using this method.