What is Vasectomy Reversal?
Many men who have undergone vasectomy (also known as a “snip”) do so with the intention of permanent contraception. However, due to changing life circumstances, roughly six per cent of men regret their decision and may opt for a reversal operation in order to regain fertility.
What is the Gold Standard Technique, and why is that necessary?
Throughout the years, surgeons have attempted various methods to reverse vasectomies, such as using stents made of plastic, protein glue, and laser-guided stitching. However, clinical trials have demonstrated that the most effective procedure is microsurgery to reconstruct this living tube.
We offer ‘state of the art’ Vasectomy Reversal service by an advanced microsurgery technique called ‘Multi-layer Microsurgical Vaso-vasostomy’. In selected patients, where there is a blockage of the tiny tube called epididymis due to rupture from backpressure after vasectomy (called ‘Blow out’), we perform Vasoepididymostomy (an even more delicate and complex procedure than vasovasostomy)
The inside diameter of the vas is just 0.2-0.4mm, so infinite care and microscopic stitches that do not obstruct the flow of sperms are required to make a reconnection that will be as close to the original as possible. Preserving the patency of the vas’s ultra-minute lumen is the procedure’s essence. This can be only achieved by a highly skilled and experienced team and specialist equipment.
Who is suitable for vasectomy reversal?
First, let us say that we treat all patients with the same non-judgmental attitude. We accept that when you chose to have a vasectomy, you did so with the best of intentions and in the belief that, under the circumstances, you made the correct decision for you at that time. Personal circumstances change and we are here to help you regain your fertility.
What sort of men desires a vasectomy reversal?
The patients cover a range in age from 24 to 63, and interestingly there are as many in the 38-50 age bracket as there are in the 28-37 years old bracket. Approximately 88 % of patients have formed a new relationship and wish to consolidate this with a child between them; 10% of patients decide they want to change their minds and want more children (usually as they become better off or their children grow up and are less demanding). The remainder feels dissatisfied with their vasectomy or have post-vasectomy pain syndrome and wish to be returned to ‘normal.
Our Simplified Seven Steps of the Reversal Process
1. Consultation: Please call our clinic or fill out the enquiry form on this website Consultation Booking Link or our dedicated Vasectomy Reversal website. We will be delighted to offer a ‘No obligation and free clinical report’ based on your responses in the completed questionnaire by password-encrypted email within two working days.
Once you have made your initial inquiry and received our free report, you can schedule a video consultation with our surgeon for a fee of £100. However, if you proceed with the procedure, this fee will be deducted from the total cost. During this consultation, the surgeon will discuss your personalized chances of success, any potential implications or alternatives, and answer any questions you may have. After the consultation, you will receive a detailed summary by email, which will be password-encrypted for your security. Rest assured that we will not contact you again unless you choose to return to us. Alternatively, if you prefer an in-person consultation, we are happy to accommodate you for a fee of £240, which will include a clinical examination.
For further information on the cost, please click COST
2. Booking a Date for the procedure:
For the vast majority of patients who request reversal for regaining fertility, we are able to offer a booking based on telephone consultation. We take a non-refundable deposit of £600 to make a booking for the procedure. The remaining appropriate fee must be settled two weeks before the operation date. Our Operation days for vasectomy reversal are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
3. Visit for the Procedure: We have patients travelling from all over the UK, Ireland and further afield. We advise arriving on the previous day if coming from far off.
On the day at the Clinic
a: Our friendly receptionist and nurses will receive you and make you feel welcome and relaxed
b: Our surgeon will see you and examine you. He will go through the original summary of the consultation and explain further the anatomy and function of the testis, epididymis and tube (vas). A physical examination will include the assessment of the cut-ends of the vas, including their length and thickness (occasionally, the vas ends can be very fine and fragile), the positioning of the original vasectomy, the quality of epididymis and finally, the ease of access to the vas. Also important is the patient’s general health (diabetes, blood pressure etc.) and any previous surgery to the groin area. After this, the surgeon will receive your written consent.
c: The nurses will see you, give you appropriate premedication, and take you into the operating room. Your partner can stay in a private room with coffee and refreshments and watch TV to spend the next three to four hours when you have the operation. She may also have a walk in Stockton City centre, which is only three minutes walk from the clinic.
d: You will receive a local anaesthetic for the procedure. Our team has successfully helped even the most anxious men feel comfortable. The surgeon will approach the scrotum using an appropriate method and identify the tubes. Using a microscope, we will check the fluid from the ends of the vas attached to the testis. If there are sperms in the sample, there is a high chance of success, which we define as having sperms appear in the semen after the procedure or patency. We aim to ensure a comfortable experience for you and your partner. If there are signs of the blow-out, determined by fluid appearance, epididymis changes, and microscopic findings, we will attempt a vasoepididymostomy on that side. The procedure’s maximum safe completion time is 3-4 hours.
5. Going Home: You may go home immediately within an hour after the procedure once you have something to eat. We advise you to stay nearby overnight if you have to travel more than 2 hours to your home.
6:Recuperation. Strict rest for seven days. Then build up back to normal activity in the second week. You may return to work in the third week, avoiding strenuous activities for at least four weeks. No sex for three weeks. Take the supplements we would suggest for two months. Semen tests after 12 weeks in the local fertility clinic, send the results to us.
7: Please don’t forget to let us know the Ultimate Good News
So Call us today if you are thinking about having a vasectomy reversal. You don’t have to delay even if you are planning to have it in the future. It is better to hear the full facts from us before deciding when the timing is ripe for you. When you call, please leave a message, and we will respond within one working day.