A vasectomy is the surgical cutting of the tube which transports sperm. It is used for sterility by surgically blocking the vas deferens, preventing sperm from becoming part of the seminal fluid. Vas deferens are the thin tubes in the scrotum that would normally carry sperm from the testicles. When the sperm channel is interrupted, the man becomes sterile and can no longer father a child. (Please note: this procedure is NOT immediately effective because sperm in the vas deferens may be viable for many weeks - this can be detected with a semen analysis.)
Things to remember when deciding to have a vasectomy are:
A vasectomy is a safe and simple procedure that is preformed in the office.
Highly effective (over 99 %)
Considered a permanent procedure.
The procedure is not painful, and a local anesthetic is administered and you will sometimes be given a medication prior to the procedure to make you relax.
The procedure is less invasive than the sterilization procedure for women (tubal ligation).
The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes. During the procedure, the scrotum is numbed with a local anesthetic. The vas deferens is gathered under the skin of the scrotum, and a small opening is made. The vas deferens is then pulled through the small opening or incision, cut in two places, and a 1 centimeter segment is removed. Each end of the vas deferens is surgically tied off or clipped, and placed back in the scrotum. The incision is sometimes sutured and the procedure is repeated on the other side of the scrotum.
