Prior to your procedure you will attend a consultation were Dr Murray will assess your suitability for the procedure. The procedure will be explained, and a decision made as to how to proceed (general or local anaesthetic). You will be given a hospital admission booklet to complete and return to the hospital. You will be given a fee estimate for the procedure.

You will be given a letter outlining the fasting times and the hospital admission time. These times may change closer to the procedure date. You will be called the day prior to the procedure with a final confirmation of times.

Take your normal medications unless told otherwise by Dr Murray or the anaesthetist. Most blood thinners will require a period of cessation prior to the procedure.

Please ensure someone is available to drive you home when you are discharged from hospital.

After administration of a general and/or local anaesthetic a small incision is made in the right side of the scrotum. The vas deferens is located and a one-centimetre segment excised. The end closest to the prostate is cauterized and each end is tied closed. The ends are then separated and sutured in separate layers. These maneuvers help prevent the ends of the vas deferens from reconnecting. Local anaesthetic is injected to help relieve post-operative discomfort and the skin is closed with an absorbable stitch. The procedure is then repeated on the left side.

A period of time is required in the recovery room while the anaesthetic wears off. It is necessary to ensure you are comfortable and any nausea is treated. You will return to the day surgery area 30 to 60 minutes after the procedure.

Expect to feel some discomfort in the scrotum. You may have swelling and a small amount of blood on the dressing. You will be reviewed by Dr Murray prior to leaving the hospital.

It is recommended you rest and avoid any vigorous activity for the first three days after the procedure. You should take regular Paracetamol AND Ibuprofen for the first 48 hours. A script will be provided for stronger pain relief if you require it.

Sexual activity can resume three days after the procedure provided the scrotum is no longer tender. Living sperm are still present in the ejaculation at this stage and an alternative form of contraception must be used until infertility is confirmed by Dr Murray.

Follow up

You will be provided with a pathology request form for a semen analysis. This specimen should be submitted twelve weeks after your procedure, at least 20 ejaculations should occur prior to obtaining the specimen. You must ring Southern IML pathology prior to obtaining the specimen as they will need to confirm with you the instructions for specimen collection and submission to the laboratory.

Your semen analysis results will be emailed to you with an explanatory letter. The practice nurse will call you one week later to ensure you received the results and understand the letter. It is imperative that results of your semen analysis are known and conveyed to you. You should consider yourself fertile until Dr Murray has confirmed you are not.

There are some important risks and complications of vasectomy you should be aware of; these include but are not limited to:

1. There is a one in 2,500 (approx.) chance of pregnancy following a vasectomy

2. Live sperm are present in the ejaculate after vasectomy, an alternate form of contraception must be used until infertility is confirmed by Dr Murray

3. Scrotal swelling and tenderness are to be expected and may take days to weeks to resolve

4. Excessive bleeding can occur with a one in 100 risk of returning to theatre to control bleeding

5. Wound infections are rare and occur in less than one in 100 cases

6. Sperm can leak from the end of the vas deferens resulting in a spermatocele. This can form a painful, tender lump in the scrotum

7. Scrotal pain lasting six or more months is reported in approximately one in 20 patients