Information About After Your Vasectomy

What you should do after the vasectomy

• Go straight home after leaving the vasectomy clinic
• Relax with your feet up for 48 hours; this will make pain/complications less likely
• Wear supportive underwear or swimming trunks for 48 hours and do not return to boxer shorts for at least a week
• The local anaesthetic will wear off within a few hours. If you feel uncomfortable, a painkiller such as ibuprofen (not to be taken by those with asthma or indigestion/ulcers) or paracetamol should help.
• After 48 hours have a bath or shower and soak off the dressing – do not try to pull it off. Dry the area thoroughly but gently and apply a new clean dry dressing
• Because the wound is small and heals so well, stitches are not needed. It will heal in 7-21 days. However, it should be kept dry for 48 hours and you should not use any toiletries (such as talcum powder or bath oils) on it until this time.

Sex, Sport and Work

• You can have sex as soon after vasectomy as you feel comfortable, though it is best to wait 2-4 days. You will need to continue using other contraception until you have produced two consecutive negative semen samples.
• Avoid sport and heavy lifting for at least one week. Heavy and contact sport should not be undertaken for a minimum of three weeks.
• You should not ride a bike, motorcycle or horse for at least three weeks.
• Most men will be fit to return to work two days after vasectomy. Those whose jobs unavoidably involve heavy lifting should stay off work for a week, and for the first week after returning reduce the amount of lifting.

Common Problems

• Most men will suffer a mild degree of testicular swelling and discomfort for a few days to weeks after vasectomy. The problem may be aggravated by sexual excitement and ejaculation. In the first days after the vasectomy, applying an icepack (e.g. a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel) will reduce the swelling and make you more comfortable. The problem generally resolves rapidly, but may need anti-inflammatory medication (such as ibuprofen). Supportive underwear, rather than boxer shorts, for the first few weeks after vasectomy is also likely to minimize any discomfort.
• Local bruising develops in most men after vasectomy. It is usually localised to the scrotum but can spread to the penis and as far as the groin and thighs. Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen (not to be taken by those with asthma or indigestion/ulcers) can help.

Occasional problems

• Infection is a risk in any surgery. This might be experienced as flu-like symptoms and/or excessive swelling, tenderness or pain. If you are worried your wound has become infected please contact your GP or myself as soon as possible.
• Some men experience a small blood loss from the wound, while others lose quite a lot. If you are worried and need to stop the bleeding you can do so by squeezing firmly the wound edges between thumb and finger for five minutes. If this fails to arrest the bleeding please contact myself, your GP or, out of hours, NHS Direct or A+E, immediately.
• In some cases a small blood vessel within the scrotum may bleed after vasectomy. This can occur several days after the operation and is often the result of over-strenuous activity. This may lead to the scrotum filling with blood clot (haematoma). In such cases the scrotum will become painful and very swollen. Should this occur you should contact your GP or myself immediately.

Long term problems

• Chronic (long term) post-vasectomy testicular pain is a recognised complication of vasectomy. Generally however, it causes little inconvenience and most men do not regret having their vasectomy because of it.

  Its cause is uncertain (Journal of Andrology 2003;293-8).

  Estimates of how frequently it occurs vary widely. Figures range from 0.9% to 54% (i.e. affecting from less than 1 in 100 to as many as 54 in 100) (The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 2002;28(3):142-4)

  One of the most recent reviews of vasectomy surgery, in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2005;330:296-9), states the risk of this occurring is less than 10% (i.e. less than 10 in 100 patients).

  Studies have found that even among men who do get long term testicular pain after vasectomy, only a minority regret having had the surgery because of the pain. Moreover, very few men go on to have treatment for this problem (Br J Urol 1992;69:188-191, and BJU International Mar 2004; 93(4):571-4).

• Small lumps/nodules may form around the cut end of either vas deferens. These arise in most men and are usually painless. They are due to scar tissue, collections of blood or sperm. Rarely they cause long term pain and need to be removed.

When has the vasectomy been successful? - the Semen Samples

• Do not send your samples before the due dates, above. However, samples later than these dates will be all right, but they must still be at least 2 weeks apart.
• It takes at least twenty-five ejaculations to clear the sperm from your reproductive system, and in some cases many more. So, if you have a period of sexual inactivity after the vasectomy, you may need to postpone the dates for your samples.
• The sample MUST be collected DIRECTLY into the container provided. DO NOT first collect the sample into a condom, or any other receptacle, for later transfer to the sample pot provided.
• Please remember to write your name and date of birth on the sample pot label. If you fail to do this, the sample will be discarded without analysis.
• A separate leaflet (blue paper), produced by the laboratories at Yeovil  District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, is attached. This explains in detail how you should collect your semen samples, and how to arrange for appointments for their subsequent analysis.
• The results are usually back in 1 week. We will write to you with the results after the second sample has been received. Should further samples be needed, we will let you know at this time.

Last updated 16/10/2005