How successful is vasectomy reversal?

A successful vasectomy reversal operation results in sperm production which leads to renewed fertility for the patient. The success rate of vasectomy reversal procedures varies between different patients. The timing of your vasectomy reversal procedure depends on the time interval since your initial vasectomy procedure. The longer it’s been since your initial surgery the less likely you are to achieve successful results.

The success of your vasectomy reversal surgery depends on different factors which include your specific situation. These include the type of vasectomy you had, what surgery you may have to reverse it, and how experienced your surgeon is. Microsurgery, which uses a microscope to operate on the tubes, results in better surgical outcomes than other methods.

The chances of getting pregnant after vasectomy reversal are:

75% if the reversal is within 3 years of the original vasectomy

50–55% if it’s been 3 to 8 years since your vasectomy

40–45% if it’s been 9 to 14 years

30% if it’s been 15 to 19 years

less than 10% if your vasectomy was more than 20 years ago

Aftercare following a vasectomy reversal

The anaesthetic effects will require you to remain in bed until they completely disappear. The anaesthetic will start to fade and you will need pain relief medication to manage your discomfort. After your surgery, your doctor will administer a nerve block injection which provides you with temporary pain relief for several hours.

You need a driver to take you home from the hospital because you will need someone to stay with you during your first day at home. The patient requires a hospital stay because medical staff need to monitor their condition through the night. The patient needs to be hospitalized because their family members are unavailable to pick them up and their medical condition requires overnight observation. General anaesthetic recovery requires patients to wait for an extended period. Your coordination will decrease and your ability to think clearly will become difficult. The condition will resolve itself within 24 hours. You must avoid driving and drinking alcohol and operating machines and making major decisions during this time.

The nurse will provide you with instructions to follow before you leave regarding your scrotal wound care and pain relief medication options. The medical team will provide you with additional dressings to use at home until your wound finishes healing. The medical team will provide you with information about upcoming medical visits.

Recovery following a vasectomy reversal

You should maintain a low activity level during the first week after your surgery to support your recovery from vasectomy reversal operation. You will experience swelling along with bruising and pain in your scrotum area for up to three days after your vasectomy reversal surgery. You should take over-the-counter pain medication which includes paracetamol and ibuprofen when you need pain relief. Ice packs can be beneficial to you but they should never be applied directly onto your skin.

You should wear tight-fitting underwear that provides proper support for the first three days after your surgery. The clinic will provide you with athletic support which offers better protection than a standard scrotal supporter. You can purchase the product from any sports stores or from online retailers. The product will offer scrotal protection while reducing discomfort and minimizing swelling.

You can start doing light exercises seven days after your operation. You should avoid all intense physical activities and weight lifting and sexual intercourse for the initial period of three weeks. You should wait for two weeks before you resume ejaculation. The first few times you ejaculate may contain blood in your semen.

You should wait two days before taking a shower and three weeks before you take your first bath. You should handle your genital area with gentle patting until it dries completely.

The sutures will dissolve on their own after two to three weeks.

Post-surgery sperm tests

It takes three to six months for your body to produce sperm which will appear in your ejaculate after you have a vasectomy reversal. The process requires up to two years from its start date. You need a semen analysis to determine whether your sample contains sperm. Your doctor will provide you with instructions about this. The first evaluation of your semen will occur three months after your vasectomy reversal. The time needed to achieve sperm production in your semen will increase for patients who have undergone vasoepididymostomy. Your doctor will schedule your semen testing to occur every three months.

The surgeon will explain alternative treatment methods to you if your sperm count remains at zero. The patient can choose to undergo another surgical procedure which aims to restore their previous state. The patient has two treatment options: they can proceed with another surgical procedure or they can use assisted reproductive methods such as ICSI. The ase section on alternatives to vasectomy reversal provides you with additional information regarding this subject.