Conclusion: This case shows that late recanalization can occur up to seven years after a vasectomy. Patients should be informed prior to the procedure that late recanalization, although rare, may still occur.
One of the most significant pros of a vasectomy is that a vasectomy is a very effective and permanent form of birth control. Only one to two in 1,000 men have a vasectomy that fails. This usually happens in the first year following the procedure.
Is Getting Pregnant After a Vasectomy Possible? A vasectomy is one of the best ways to prevent pregnancy, with rates of pregnancy around 1/1,000 after the first year, and between 2-10/1,000 after five years. Most reports indicate that following a vasectomy a couple has a less than 1% chance of getting pregnant.
Your Vas Deferens Reconnect
Even with a successful surgery and you following the proper post-vasectomy plan, your vas deferens can reconnect months or years later. In some cases, this has happened 10 years after a vasectomy!
Testing is the Key to Preventing Pregnancy after Vasectomy
The usual recommendation is to perform two (2) tests within 2-4 months following the procedure, and then once a year thereafter.
Can a vasectomy reverse itself? No. Once a man has a proven negative semen analysis, the vasectomy is permanent unless surgically reversed. It is not possible for the vas deferens to re-align or reverse itself.
Around 1–2 out of every 1,000 females whose partners have a vasectomy get pregnant in the year following the vasectomy.
However, in some cases, the vas deferens grow back several years after the procedure. The growth may continue until a connection is recreated, allowing the free flow of sperm to the urethra. An extremely rare and successful reconnection can occur after 10 to 14 years or more and is usually almost impossible to notice.
To ensure your vasectomy is a success, you must return to the vasectomy clinic three months after the procedure for a semen analysis, which will reveal whether there are any active sperm still present in your ejaculate. A successful vasectomy will result in zero active sperm.
Vasectomy failure can be due to technical error during the procedure, early recanalization, late recanalization, or patients' failing to use alternative contraceptive methods immediately after the procedure when sperm could still be present in the ejaculate [4].
Though the whole vasectomy process is considered to be extremely safe, effective and reliable, with all surgical procedures, there is chance at failure, no matter how small that chance. It is best to discuss any concerns that you have with your surgeon before committing to the surgery.
A vasectomy shouldn't have any impact on your sexual performance, sex drive, ejaculation, or erectile function. You'll be able to have protected sex after the surgical site heals. This typically takes one or two weeks after the procedure.
When someone with a vasectomy ejaculates, the fluid contains semen, but no sperm. Vasectomy is one of the most effective birth control methods available. But there's still a very small chance that the procedure won't work, which could result in pregnancy.
Vasectomies can be reversed even after very long periods of time, sometimes after more than 25 years. Sperm are constantly being produced in men, even after a long time from a vasectomy, there should be viable sperm.
Sterilization does not happen right away after a vasectomy
You will need to continue to use other birth control methods until your semen sample comes back completely sperm-free and you get the okay from your physician. This usually takes about two months or 20 ejaculations.
Once they are cut, sperm can't get into the semen or out of the body. The testes still make sperm, but the sperm die and are absorbed by the body. A man who has had a vasectomy still makes semen and is able to ejaculate. But the semen doesn't contain sperm.
How long will it take after my vasectomy before I can assume that I am sterile? A. It usually takes about 15-20 ejaculations after the operation before you flush out any remaining sperm from each vas deferens. You should use an alternative method of contraception during this time.
Early failure or recanalization of the vas deferens after vasectomy occurs in approximately 0.3% to 0.6% of cases. 5 This failure occurs when a substantial number of spermatozoa or any motile spermatozoa are identified at least 4 months after vasectomy.
Several weeks after the vasectomy procedure, your doctor will ask you for a semen sample that can be tested to see if there is any sperm in it. Depending on the results, you may be asked to repeat the test. When healthy sperm are no longer found in the semen, the vasectomy is considered successful.
Can my partner tell if I have had a vasectomy? Sperm adds very little to the semen volume, so you shouldn't notice any change in your ejaculate after vasectomy. Your partner may sometimes be able to feel the vasectomy site. This is particularly true if you have developed a granuloma.
After your vasectomy procedure, you will be given one semen testing kit to make sure that your vasectomy procedure has been successful. To make sure that your vasectomy procedure has been successful, we need to test your semen in a laboratory. After your vasectomy procedure, you will be given one semen testing kit.
Men who have a vasectomy still ejaculate the same way in the same amounts – the only difference is that there is no sperm in the semen. The size, shape of look of the penis, testicles and scrotum is unchanged.
Research has found that men who get vasectomy surgery rarely report erectile dysfunction as a side effect. In fact, a 2005 study from Brazil found that vasectomy surgery has a positive impact on sexual function in men, with no increased risk of ED following the procedure.
Vasectomy is the only permanent method of contraception for men and has a failure rate of approximately 0.1%. Vasectomy procedures are one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in Australia, with over 29,000 men getting one each year.