500,000 men annually have vasectomies performed in the United States. This surgical procedure assures that a man is infertile. However, at some point of a man’s life he might wish to restore his fertility for various reasons. Vasectomy reversal makes this possible. 1% of those who had undergone vasectomy want to restore their fertility with the help of a surgeon.
What is vasectomy reversal?
Vasectomy reversal is, a surgical procedure performed in order to return the flow of sperm into a vas deferens. The surgery is usually performed by a specialized microsurgeon, who uses certain surgical instruments and a microscope.
There are two different types of surgical techniques in reversal procedures. A so-called vasovasostomy is a technique used to restore fertility sewing the cut-ends of the vase deferens together. Another technique used is vasoepididymostomy that is usually performed when there is a blockage of sperm in the epididymis (a small gland near testicles) due to former inflammations. The vas deferens is then directly connected to the epididymis to restore the flow of sperm into the vas deferens.
Success rate of vasectomy reversal
Only seldom procedures restoring fertility were successful earlier. Nowadays, with the help of new microsurgical instruments and effective techniques vasectomy reversal is a successful procedure. Data shows that sperm is present in the semen in 85-97% of men who have undergone vasovasostomy. And half of the couples are successful in achieving a pregnancy after surgery. Sperm appears in 65% of men after vasoepididymostomy. And 20% of couples achieve a pregnancy.
Price of the procedure
Check with your insurance company policies to find out whether insurance covers costs of vasectomy reversal or not. Total price includes the surgeon’s fee, the hospital fee for the use of the operating room and ambulatory care facility, and the fee for anesthesia. The price is between $5,000 and $15,000.
Reasons for vasectomy reversal
Men, who want to have vasectomy reversal performed, usually make this decision for the following reasons:
- remarriage after divorce or death of a wife;
- death of a child;
- scrotal pain related to vasectomy;
- religious beliefs.
No matter what reason is, new developed surgical equipment makes almost all vasectomies possible to be reversed.
