What are the risks of the vasectomy procedure?
While all procedures, medications, and even contraceptives carry some risk, No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV) is extremely safe. The rates of the most common complications are about one tenth the rates of problems after conventional scalpel vasectomy. The following statistics have been compiled from several large series: risk of hematoma formation (bleeding into the scrotum) is 0.4% risk of scrotal infection is less than 0.1% risk of vasectomy failure (sperm still present in ejaculate) is less than 1 in 500. Despite the low risk, the downside of an unanticipated pregnancy is potentially devastating. For this reason, vasectomy patients must use another reliable form of contraception until a semen analysis 6-8 weeks after the procedure which shows he is “shooting blanks.” Until this test is performed, each patient must consider himself fertile. post-procedure testis or epididymal discomfort occurs in some men, but typically resolves within a month or so. Ibuprofen and scrotal elevation with snu
