Can a Vasectomy Be Reversed?

According to National Institutes of Health, every year 500,000 American men will have a vasectomy and approximately five to 10 percent of those men will choose to undergo a vasectomy reversal. Although a vasectomy reversal can be performed at any point after a vasectomy, it is expensive and has only about a 40 to 50 percent success rate, according to Epigee.org.

Reasons

• Men have vasectomies so their partners will not become pregnant; however, there are situations when this decision is reconsidered. Some reasons for why man my choose vasectomy reversal include the loss of a child, a new relationship, improved finances, and treatment for a medical condition. Perhaps a couple simply has changed their mind about not having children in the future.

Considerations

• Before undergoing vasectomy reversal, it is important to ensure that both partners are fertile and able to have a child. If this is the case, it is time to choose a doctor. Interviewing different candidates will not only allow the man to find a physician he is comfortable with, but will also allow him to find a doctor who has successfully performed the surgery several times.
  Discuss the surgical options with the physician, ask questions about risk factors, complications, success rates, cost, insurance coverage and how to prepare physically for the surgery. The man may wish to discuss the options with his partner.
  After having a vasectomy reversal, the man should avoid bathing or swimming for two days, avoid intense physical activities--such as sports and lifting heavy objects--for approximately three weeks, avoid sexual intercourse and ejaculating for four weeks, and wear a jockstrap for several weeks, especially when exercising.

Types

• There are two surgical options for a vasectomy reversal; the doctor will likely determine which is appropriate during the procedure itself. During a vasectomy the tube that transports the mature sperm from the testicles to the semen, the vas deferens, is severed. A vasovasostomy reconnects the severed ends of the vas deferens. If a vasovasostomy is unsuccessful, do to a blockage for example, the doctor will perform an vasoepididymostomy--a small incision will be made in the scrotum and the vas deferens will be sutured directly to the epididymis on the testicles.

Alternatives

• There are several alternatives to vasectomy reversals. During the initial vasectomy, the man will be given the option to have some sperm kept at a sperm bank for future use. This can also be done during a vasectomy reversal, in case the procedure isn't effective. The sperm can be artificially inseminated into the female partner at any time the couple chooses. There is also the option of having an outside sperm donor provide the means for the couple to have a child via artificial insemination. Sperm aspiration, where sperm is removed from the testes or the epididymis, is also an option.