Can the sterilization effect of a vasectomy be reversed? & bull; hello healthy

Vasectomy is the most reliable contraceptive option for men. This male-only birth control method is proven to be 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means that only less than 1 in 100 women who concede pregnancy after one year men are "sterilized". But if you change your mind in the future, can the permanent sterilization effect of a vasectomy be reversed so that you and your partner can try having children again?

Overview of the vasectomy procedure

Vasectomy is the process of cutting or blocking the vas deferens duct. The vas deferens is a small tube-shaped tube in the testicles (scrotum) that carries sperm from the testes to the penis. This procedure is also known as sterilization.

There are two methods available to perform sterilization, namely with or without a scalpel. In the conventional way, the surgeon will make two incisions on the top of each scrotum and the bottom of the penis. After that the doctor will remove, tie, or clog the vas deferens through catheterization. The incisions will then be sutured together.

If you choose the pathway without a scalpel, the doctor will first use small tweezers to hold the tube to be cut then make a small hole in the scrotal skin and cut a portion of the channel before tying it.

Vasectomy will close the access to sperm to flow mixed with semen. That is why men who are already sterile are very unlikely to be able to fertilize a woman's egg because their semen no longer contains sperm.

The effect of this sterilization is actually permanent. However, most of the cases can be reversed; in a way more complicated than the initial vasectomy.

Men who wish to return to fertility can undergo a reversal vasectomy

A reversal vasectomy is a procedure to reverse or cancel a previous vasectomy.

To do this, the surgeon must return to the location of the original cut and reattach the two cut portions of the vas deferens using very fine suture threads. Even thinner than human hair. Because it is so thin, the doctor will perform these sutures through a special microscope which can make everything appear 25 times bigger.

The theory sounds straightforward, but in reality it is sometimes much more complicated than that. For example, if a significant amount of the vas deferens canal was removed during the first vasectomy, it will be more difficult to stretch the two ends of the tube to be sutured to close the gap.

This procedure will also be more complicated if the doctor finds a build-up of fluid that has blocked the area where the cut was used. If the doctor is unable to remove the blockage, the doctor will have to combine the vas deferens into different sperm ducts and reroute your ejaculatory route. In other words, the two halves of the vas deferens cannot be joined at the site where the canal was cut.

Then, what are the signs that a successful reversal vasectomy?

One of the signs that can prove the success of a reversal vasectomy is the appearance of healthy and new sperm cells in your semen in the following months. The only way to find out is through a sperm analysis test in the laboratory.

The doctor will collect a sample of your semen and examine it for 4 to 6 months. This time span is long enough for the body to restore a normal sperm count. When enough of your sperm comes back in your semen, your chances of getting pregnant will also of course increase.

Also pay attention to the risk of side effects

Apart from the risk of failure, other side effects of a reversal vasectomy can include:

Bleeding in the scrotum causing swelling and pain. To avoid this, be sure to follow your doctor's orders before and after surgery.
Infection. This is a side effect that can arise from any action. If you have an infection, your doctor will most likely treat it with antibiotics.
The testicles constantly feel very painful. Call your doctor right away if you have pain that doesn't improve with medication.

Even so, the risk of these side effects is actually very rare.

Reversal vasectomy is not always effective

This procedure may fail even if the two ends of the vas deferens are successfully recombined. The average chance of a successful vasectomy reversal is 40-90 percent.

The probability of a successful reversal vasectomy depends largely on the time span between the first vasectomy procedure and its reversal. The longer the time interval, blockage or obstruction between the vas deferens and epididymis ducts will form so that it needs to be repaired before undergoing a reversal vasectomy.

The success of the vasectomy reversal procedure also depends on the appearance of scar tissue after surgery and taking hormonal supplements that can reduce your sperm count. If the number of sperm in each ejaculation is less, then the chance of pregnancy also decreases.

Some men can also build antibodies against their own sperm. Sperm antibody (ASA) will destroy healthy sperm cells because they think they are foreign. So when the man ejaculates later, his semen does not contain sperm cells that can fertilize a woman's egg. Sperm antibodies are one of the causes of infertility in men.

Simply put, this vasectomy reversal effect works like two sides of a coin. You can return to fertility and can have children again, or vice versa. If after doing the reversal you still have trouble having children naturally, there are other options that might be done, such as IVF / ICSI or adoption.