WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
In a vasectomy (vaz-EK-tuh-mee), the two tubes that carry
sperm into the semen are severed. The operation is a form of
sterilization. After the procedure, the semen will be free of
sperm and will not cause pregnancy.
Risks
It's rare to have serious problems after a vasectomy. As
with any surgery, there's a chance of heavy bleeding or
infection; but doctors are alert for such problems and can
quickly bring them under control. The operation rarely has any
effect on your sex life.
IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE
HOSPITAL...
Before You Go
-
You'll probably need to stop
taking aspirin and ibuprofen; the doctor will tell you
when. If you're taking aspirin for your heart, don't stop
without asking the doctor first. Also ask whether you can
take any over-the-counter medicines.
-
You may need to have blood
drawn for tests.
-
Just before surgery, you
should not eat or drink anything (even water). Your doctor
will tell you when to begin fasting.
When You
Arrive
-
Check with your doctor before
taking insulin, diabetes pills, blood pressure medicine,
heart pills, or any other medication on the day of
surgery.
-
Do not wear contact lenses
the day of surgery. You may wear your
glasses.
-
Bring an athletic supporter
or jockey shorts with you to wear after the
procedure.
What to Expect While You're
There
You may encounter the following procedures and equipment
during your stay:
-
Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature,
blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and
respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used
to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is
taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
-
Blood Tests: You may need blood taken for tests. It
can be drawn from a vein in your hand or from the bend in
your elbow. Several samples may be needed.
-
Chest X-ray: Doctors check this picture of the lungs
and heart to make sure there are no problems that could
develop during the operation.
-
Heart Monitor: (Also called an electrocardiogram
[e-LEK-tro-KAR-di-o-gram] or EKG). Typically, three to five
sticky pads are placed on different parts of your body.
Each pad has a wire that is hooked to a TV-type screen or
to a small portable box (telemetry unit) that shows a
tracing of each heartbeat.
-
IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine
or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to
it.
-
Pulse Oximeter: With a little clip connected to your
ear, finger, or toe, this machine measures the oxygen in
your blood.
-
Local Anesthesia: For comfort during the procedure,
you'll be given a shot of pain-killing medication in the
scrotum.
During the
Vasectomy
For starters, the hair on your scrotum may be clipped.
The doctor will then make one or two small incisions in the
scrotum and remove a small part of each duct. The incisions are
sewn closed and bandaged. In 3 to 10 days the stitches will
disappear on their own.
The procedure usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes. At
the end, you'll need to don your athletic supporter for
protection. You then can go home.
After You
Leave
-
After the vasectomy, you may
have no feeling in your scrotum for 6 to 8 hours while the
anesthetic wears off. Bruises may appear on the scrotum and
the area around it. They should disappear within a
week.
-
Lie on your back as much as
possible for the first 8 hours after the vasectomy. With
the athletic supporter on, raise the scrotum by putting a
rolled-up washcloth under it.
-
For pain or swelling, you may
put ice in a plastic bag, cover it with a towel, and place
this over the surgery area for 15 to 20 minutes out of
every hour as long as necessary. Do not sleep on the ice
pack. Treatment with ice is most effective when started
right after surgery and used for 24 to 48
hours.
-
Keep the stitches clean and
dry for the first 24 hours.
-
Using the athletic supporter
will reduce pain and protect the bandages. Your doctor will
tell you how long to keep wearing it.
-
Ask the doctor how long to
keep the ban__dages on. Once you remove them, you will not
have to replace them.
-
When you are allowed to bathe
or shower, carefully wash the stitches with soap and
water.
-
Do not lift anything heavy
until your doctor says it's OK.
-
For a few months after your
surgery, you may have mild pain in your scrotum when you
are sexually aroused.
-
Use birth control until your
doctor tells you that your semen is clear of sperm. It may
take 4 to 6 weeks or 15 to 20 ejaculations to be completely
sperm-free. To make certain, your doctor may ask you for a
semen sample.
-
-
The easiest way to get a
semen sample is to wear a condom during sex. You may
also masturbate while wearing a condom. Do
not use a condom that has sperm-killing medicine
in it.
-
Carefully remove the
condom after you ejaculate and put it in a plastic bag
or a small container. Your doctor will tell you where
to take the sample.
-
Take any medicine exactly as
directed. If it doesn't seem to help, let the doctor know,
but keep taking it until told otherwise. If you've been
prescribed antibiotics, be sure to use them up, even if
you're feeling better. If a medicine makes you drowsy,
avoid driving or using dangerous machinery.
Call Your Doctor
If...
-
Your stitches are swollen or
red, or you notice pus coming from them. This may mean
they're infected.
-
Your stitches come
apart.
-
Your scrotum remains very
swollen and tender.
-
Your bandages become soaked
with blood.
-
You develop a high
temperature.
Return to top
|
Email this page
Printer friendly
Bookmark this page
