Vasectomy Reversal OC

The Best Procedures for Vasectomy Reversal

Just as it is with many other surgical procedures, there are a few different ways to approach vasectomy reversal surgery. When it comes to vasectomy reversal, OC residents and men across the country have some choices in choosing a vasectomy reversal doctor, and the procedures practiced by the doctor should have some bearing on the choice.

Vasovasotomy: The Most Common Procedure

Once a patient has decided to undergo a vasectomy reversal, the most common means of reversing the process is called vasovasotomy. This procedure involves cutting away the scar left by the vasectomy and reconnecting the two ends of the tube that carries sperm. Statistics show that vasovasotomy does not have a high success rate. This is due to the fact that pressure often builds up behind the vasectomy blockage and causes the beginning of the tube to rupture.

The beginning of the tube that carries sperm is called the epididymus. The epididymus is a delicate structure, and once ruptured, a new blockage can form which prevents sperm from passing through the tube. This is a common reason for vasovasotomy to fail.

Epididymo-Vasotomy: A Challenging Operation

Another procedure, which has proven to have a higher success rate than vasovasotomy, is called epididymo-vasotomy. This type of procedure involves removing the epididymus blockage that may have formed as a result of the original vasectomy, and connecting all the way back to that point in the tube that carries sperm. In order to measure whether or not an epididymo-vasotomy is needed, a doctor must examine the fluid coming from the tube with a high powered phase-contrast microscope. In addition, the epididymo-vasotomy is a technically difficult operation that most male fertility doctors will not attempt.

There are few doctors in the United States who opt for epididymo-vasotomy rather than vasovasotomy on a regular basis. Prospective vasectomy reversal patients should seek out a skilled physician who will avoid the largely unsuccessful vasovasotomy procedure in favor of the epididymo-vasotomy.