Once a person or a couple decides to not have any more children, they usually consider permanent contraception. Vasectomy is a form of permanent contraception that is used for a man. The counterpart for women is called a "tubal ligation". Vasectomy is a relatively minor procedure that can be done in a doctor's office with local anesthetic ("freezing"), while tubal ligation is done in hospital and requires abdominal surgery under general anesthetic.

VASECTOMY

Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that stops the flow of sperm from the testes to the penis. This requires that a small opening be made in the skin of the scrotum (the sac below the penis containing the testes or testicles, that produce sperm). Once this opening is made, the vas deferens (the "vas", the small tube in each side of the scrotum that carries the sperm) can be permanently blocked.

"NO-SCALPEL VASECTOMY"

The technique used at The Gentle Vasectomy Clinic  ® is the "No-Scalpel Vasectomy". It was developed by a doctor in China in 1974, introduced to North America in 1985, and to Canada in the early 1990’s.

A conventional vasectomy involves opening the skin of the scrotum to reach the vas with one or two incisions at least 2 ½ cm long made with a scalpel -one on each side of the scrotum, or one in the middle. At the end of the procedure, after the vas has been blocked the incisions are stitched (sutured) closed.

With a "No-Scalpel Vasectomy" only one small opening is made by means of a puncture at the midline of the scrotum and spreading the skin open. Each vas is carefully lifted out, one at a time, and blocked. At the end of the procedure they are allowed to slip back deep into the scrotum where they naturally lie and the opening is covered with ointment and a piece of gauze. No stitches are required.

Once the vas has been reached, it is blocked by one of several ways with either procedure, which is why the success rate is the same. The big difference is how entry into the scrotum itself is made. With the "No Scalpel Vasectomy" there is much less trauma to the scrotum. This shortens the healing time and significantly reduces the risk of complications.