Vasectomy is a safe and effective method of permanent contraception for those looking to maintain an active sex life with the lowest possible risk of pregnancy.

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What is a vasectomy?

A vasectomy is a procedure performed on men to prevent them having any future children. The procedure is safe and is more effective then femal sterilisation, and can be performed quickly and easily in a local setting, using local anesthetic to ensure only minimal discomfort.

The procedure results in separating the tubes (vas deferens) which carry sperm from the testicles to the penis, which means that sperm will no longer be transmitted via sexual intercourse.

A vasectomy is simple, quick, and virtually painless. There will be no impact on your sex drive, sexual performance, orgasm, or ejaculation other than that your semen will no longer contain sperm.

Who is vasectomy good for?

• Men in relationships in which both partners agree that they have all the children they want and both either do not want to or are unable to use other methods of contraception.
• Men in a relationship whose partner has health problems that make pregnancy unsafe.
• Men in a relationship in which one or both have genetic disorders that they do not want to transmit to children.

What happens during a vasectomy?

The operation will be completed by Dr Owen Miller, supported by one of our Clinical Support Team or Nursing Team.

Before the operation your scrotum is cleaned, and a local anesthetic is then injected into the scrotum (clear of the testicles) to numb the region. A small incision (less than 0.5cm) is made in the middle of the scrotum.

The ducts that carry sperm between the testicles and penis are called the vas deferens. The first vas deferens then located and clamped in two places, approximately 15mm apart. The length between the clamps is then removed, and the prostate end of the vas deferens is sealed by cauterising and suturing it. The end connected to the testicle is left open.

The duct is then placed gently back into the scrotum and the process is repeated on the other side using the same incision.

Once both vas deferens have been cut and sealed, the incision in the scrotum is then closed using one suture which will dissolve over the following few weeks.

This whole operation itself takes approximately 30 minutes.

What happens after the operation?

You will be unable to drive, so please ensure that you have a way of getting home after the operation.

After an hour or two the local anesthetic will wear off and you may experience a dull ache in the testicles and groin that can be treated with pain relief.

We recommend that you stay in bed for a day (except to use the bathroom) and apply ice packs to the area. We also recommend that you refrain from any heavy physical labour for at least one week, and refrain from sports activity or heavy lifting for at least a week, and preferably 2-3 weeks.

How will I know when I can rely on the vasectomy?

The vasectomy is considered successful once you have completed sperm count testing after the greater of 3 months and/or 24 ejaculations.

Vasectomy has a very small risk of failure (approximately 1 in 1,000), either due to an unsuccessful operation or spontaneous reconnection of the ducts. This is detected when the sperm count testing is done.

How much does a vasectomy cost?

The total costs for a vasectomy is $475 if you are enrolled with Johnsonville Medical Centre or Thorndon Medical Centre, or $510 if you are enrolled elsewhere or are unable to enrol.

This fee includes:

• The pre-operative consultation
• The vasectomy operation
• Post-operative care
• Notification of sperm counts until sterility confirmed

You will need to pay $105 for the initial consultation, during which Dr Miller will go through the procedure and post-procedure process with you. You are not committed to completing the vasectomy at this stage, and Dr Miller will confirm this with your during the consultation.

If you do proceed with the vasectomy then the balance of the fee ($370 is enrolled, $405 if not enrolled) is due at the time the vasectomy is scheduled.

Want to know more?

Call us on 04 920 8850 and book in for a pre-vasectomy consultation with Dr Owen Miller

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