Advanced Urology Associates the Vasectomy Procedure

Understanding Vasectomy and Your Reproductive System

Knowing how sperm are made, stored, and released by the body can help you understand how vasectomy works. For pregnancy to occur, a man’s sperm (male reproductive cells) must join a woman’s egg.

• The testes (testicles) are glands that produce sperm and male hormones.
• The scrotum is a pouch of skin that contains the testes.
• The epididymis is a tube that holds sperm while they mature. Each testicle has an epididymis.
• The vas deferens are tubes that carry the sperm from the epididymis to the penis.
• The seminal vesicles and the prostate gland secrete fluids called semen. This fluid helps nourish and transport sperm.
• The urethra is the tube in the center of the penis. It transports both urine and semen. When you have an orgasm, semen is ejaculated out of the urethra.

How a Vasectomy is Performed

You may be given medication to help you relax. To prevent pain, you’ll be given an injection of anesthetic in your scrotum or lower groin. One or two small incisions are made in the scrotum with a scalpel or a pointed clamp. The vas deferens are lifted through the incision-you may feel a tug. A small piece of the vas deferens may be removed. It may be sent to a lab for testing. The ends of the vas are sealed off. This keeps sperm from traveling from the testes to the penis. If needed, the incision is closed with stitches. The procedure usually takes around 30 to 45 minutes. The testes will still produce hormones and sperm, but the sperm have no place to go. They are absorbed by the body.

During the Vasectomy Procedure

After the Vasectomy Procedure

Recovery From a Vasectomy Procedure

Tips for recovering at home from a no scapel vasectomy.