(2/21/12) – Vasectomy is a commonly done procedure for birth control, as it is a safe, relatively inexpensive office procedure. It is done with the intent of providing permanent sterilization. Life, however, is uncertain, circumstances change, and men may decide to have their fertility reversed. In my practice, divorce with remarriage is the most common circumstance leading to interest in vasectomy reversal, or vasovasostomy. It is not uncommon, however, for couples to change their minds and desire more children. Sometimes religious convictions also lead men to seek vasectomy reversal.

I have performed several thousand vasectomies, and my goals when doing a vasectomy are that it be a painless procedure with a quick recovery, that it provide permanent sterilization, but that it be done so that it is amenable to reversal. Vasectomy reversals are also done in our office under local anesthesia with little discomfort, a quick recovery, and an excellent chance for restoration of fertility.

The success rate for vasectomy reversal is somewhat dependent upon the time interval since the vasectomy, but in general is 80-85% if done within five years, 60-75% if done between 5-10 years, and 30-50% if greater than 10 years. In my office, a vasectomy reversal usually takes from one-and-a-half to two hours. We seek to make the procedure a convenient and comfortable experience.

For more information about vasectomy reversal, please visit www.McLeodHealth.org or call my office at (843) 665-2000. I practice with McLeod Urology Associates located in the McLeod Plaza, at 800 East Cheves Street, Florence, South Carolina. McLeod Urology Associates delivers state-of-the-art quality care, including treatment for kidney stones, recurrent urinary incontinence, voiding dysfunction, and cancers of the kidney, prostate, bladder and male genitalia. Dr. Thomas Barnett, Dr. David Horger, Dr. Brian Evans and I are all Board Certified and offer a variety of individualized treatment methods, including the latest in technology with laparoscopic surgery.
To learn more about Dr. Vaught, click here.