The Risks of Vasectomy Reversal : A guide to Vasectomy Reversal

There are risks associated with any form of surgery and vasectomy reversal is no different. It is a safe procedure but isn’t 100% risk free (neither is any surgery) and complications can occur. These tend to be rare but you need to be aware of them before making a decision. The surgeon will discuss these as well as the benefits of vasectomy reversal in your initial consultation. The ‘downsides’of this procedure can be divided into the following two categories:

• Side effects
• Complications

Side effects are the temporary effects experienced after any form of surgery, usually related to having a general anaesthetic. This includes a feeling of nausea and a general tiredness.That’s the difference between this and a vasectomy: a vasectomy can be performed under a local anaesthetic but a vasectomy reversal is a more complex form of surgery and because of this, is carried out under a general anaesthetic. You will experience some bruising, soreness and swelling for the first few days after surgery. Complications are rare but they do happen and tend to have longer lasting results. Possible complications include:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Haematoma (internal bleeding)
• Adverse reaction to general anaesthesia
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Build up of fluid around the scrotum
• Damaged blood vessels
• Failure to restore fertility

In regard to the last item: there is always the possibility that the surgery fails to bring back your fertility which may mean another procedure. If any notice any of these symptoms then contact your surgeon immediately. You will have been given emergency contact details in case anything goes wrong so don’t delay and seek help at once.