Both vasectomy reversal and ICSI/sperm aspiration are good alternatives to father a child after vasectomy. They each have advantages and drawbacks. In most situations vasectomy reversal offers the most desirable option for pregnancy. It requires one procedure be performed only on the man and couples can then try to get pregnant every month the old fashioned way in bed at home.

The major alternative to vasectomy reversal is a technique called sperm aspiration. Sperm aspiration is generally performed by one of two means: percutaneous aspiration or open surgical aspiration. In percutaneous aspiration, a fine needle is inserted into the testes or the epididymis under local anesthesia. Since only a tiny amount of sperm can be retrieved, […] Read more ...

Most men will recover from a vasectomy in a couple of days. We typically recommend taking it easy for 2 days, using ice packs and scrotal support, and then going back to work 2 or 3 days later. However, vasectomy reversals tend to take longer, depending on the type of work that the patient does. While some men can return to a desk job in 3 or 4 days, we recommend that heavy construction and lifting should be avoided for 4 weeks after a vasectomy reversal.

The return of sperm after vasectomy reversal may be immediate or may take up to 12 months. The difference lies in the type of the procedure required and the intra-operative findings. If there are high numbers of very motile (swimming) sperm at time of the vasectomy reversal and vasovasostomy alone is required than it is common for sperm to be present at the initial semen analysis at one or two months post-op.

There are certainly some patients who are better candidates than others; time from the vasectomy is not necessarily a reason not to have a reversal. However, in the case of a couple where the woman has, for instance, had a tubal ligation, sperm aspiration combined with in-vitro fertilization is probably a better choice than performing vasectomy reversal followed by tubal ligation reversal.

Prior to a vasectomy, the patient and his partner should be absolutely sure that they are done having children. There are no special preparations in terms of abstaining from ejaculation prior to either the vasectomy or the reversal. The patient should be aware that a vasectomy reversal is a more expensive procedure than the original vasectomy and likely will take longer to recover.

Sperm is classified in terms of count, (how many millions of sperm there are per sample), and quality, including mobility. To promote better sperm production, encourage your partner to wear loose boxer shorts and trousers and take cool showers rather than hot baths. Excessive alcohol intake and smoking are also bad news for healthy sperm production so encourage your partner to cut down or quit altogether if possible.

They dissolve and are absorbed into the body. Dead and unused cells are absorbed by the body throughout life. Antibodies to sperm develop in 50 percent of men who have vasectomies. Normally, antibodies protect the body against viruses and bacteria. Sperm antibodies will not affect your general health. But they may lessen the chance of restoring fertility if vasectomy is reversed.

Because of the extremely small size of the sperm duct, even a perfect repair using microsurgical techniques can sometimes fail to remain open. In uncomplicated reversals where sperm is present at the time of surgery, this occurs at most about 3-4% of the time (about 1 in 25 men). In complex repairs involving the epididymis […] Read more ...

It is impossible to perform a good vasectomy reversal without extensive training and special experience in microsurgery, especially reconstructive procedures such as vasoepididymostomy (VE). A physician should perform 20 to 100 vasectomy reversals a year to maintain expert proficiency. Most general urologists perform 0 to 2 vasectomy reversals a year.

In most cases, failed reversals are due to technical mistakes by the surgeon. A second attempt for a vasectomy reversal is still less expensive and the most effective choice for a couple to have a child. Since each case is different, specialists like Dr. Bastuba can evaluate your situation and offer you a solution. (Read our information about failed vasectomy reversals)

The sperm quality should return to normal 3 to 6 months following a reversal as it takes that long for the testicles to make new sperm. However, the count and the motility may be lower after reversal due to partial blockage or scarring.

Following a vasectomy, the testicles will decrease the number of sperm that they produce. Second, the body will increase the process of sperm breakdown and reabsorption. Over a period of time, the equilibrium between sperm production and sperm reabsorption is fine tuned.

A vasectomy creates a blockage or “dead end” in the scrotal portion of the vas. The sperm get to the point of blockage and can go no further. They age and then die. The sperm degenerate and the body breaks the sperm down into component protein molecules as it does for dead cells elsewhere in the body. These protein molecules are then reabsorbed in the bloodstream and are eliminated.

Antibodies are molecules produced by the immune system to fight off anything that the immune system perceives as being foreign. After a vasectomy many men begin making antibodies to their sperm that can be detected in their bloodstream. When present, antibodies can attach to the sperm and prevent them from moving (decrease motility) or from penetrating an egg. It has become clear that only antibodies present on the sperm may cause a problem in certain situations.

No. Unbelievably, good physicians still tell patients this. A man never stops producing sperm whether he had a vasectomy or not. Things that would stop a man from making sperm would be major insults such as exposure to high dose radiation, high dose radioactivity or extensive chemo therapy.

A vasectomy prevents sperm from traveling from the testicle to the ejaculatory duct. Restricted in their movement, the sperm degenerate and are broken down into proteins and reabsorbed into the bloodstream.