Reversing vasectomies (visectomies) - complications

Vasectomies are normally safe and simple procedures that leaves no problems or side effects. There are some less usual visectomy problems and complications though, but on the whole a vasectomy or reversal will seldom create problems.

The visectomy procedure is generally considered to be a clinically well proven and safe procedure with few side-effects or long term problems. A vesectomy is a male sterilization, usually performed as a day-operation in the doctors office and using local anaesthatic only. There are non-scalpel methods available for minimal complications and the Vasclip vasectomy method which can be easily reversed, should the patient later change his mind. A vasectomy reversal is not straightforward and simple though, visectomy reversals can only be performed under certain circumstances and will also have a rather low success rate, no better than around 50% of the reversed vasectomies will result in a pregnancy later.

Visectomy complications that may occur

As a vasectomy is a surgical procedure, there is - as always when surgery is involved - a certain risk, of infections, mistakes etc. However, as a vesectomy is a very small procedure, the risk of developing any serious problems due to the vasectomy operation is not very high, in fact almost non-existent. Most side-effects are simply some minor pain from the injection of the anestethic, there may also be some lingering tenderness in the scrotum area, maybe some bruising or redness. These problems are very minor though and will usually disappear within a week or two. Very few larger problems have been recorded.

The few larger complications that could occur are very rare. They include:

• Infections at the site of the inciscions
• Bleeding under the skin which may induce some swelling
• Small sperm lumps which will eventually leak over to nearby tissue. This can be treated with further surgery, should it occur.
• Testicular pain may appear but usually only for a few weeks. Most pains can be handled by the use of simple pain killers.

Any of these symptoms after a vasectomy, could indicate a more problematic complication and you should then notify your caregiver immediately:

• Fever
• Swelling, if it doesn't disappear within a few days
• Bleeding, if not stopping
• Lumps in your scrotum 
• Urination problems, pains etc 

Science has been debating the longer term effects of vasectomies for many years. The bulk of the research, of which not much is focused on the long term visectomy effects, show no particular connection between a vasectemy (vascetomy) and other developing conditions in later life.

A low proportion of the patients may experience the so called Post Vasectomy Pain (PVP) which is less of a specific disease, but rather more a vague grouping of smaller long term effects ov the vasectamy. PVP is for this reason not a very clearly defined condition and this makes it very difficult to compare occurances and research results. Some of the problems in this group can ge testicular pain or swelling.

Vascetomy effects in the long and short perspective

The longer term effects / complications should not be mixed up with the more normal effects in the short perspective such as the initial swelling, some bruising etc for the first weeks. It is also possible that there may be some blood in the seminal fluid for the first weeks and minor granulomas in scrotum, but these typically go away completely within a year. Vasectomy (visectomy) and vasectomies side effects, complications and symptoms of long term problems, reversals.