Non-Scalpel Vasectomy
If we proceed to surgery you will undergo a non-scalpel vasectomy. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is bit like keyhole surgery. All the ‘cutting’ is done using ‘electrocautery’. This process uses electrical current to create heat to cauterise (or heat up/burn to stop bleeding or seal tissue) and to cut through tissue.
This is a local anaesthetic procedure, and you will be awake throughout. After the anaesthetic is in you may still feel some movement and pressure at times but no pain.
Procedure Steps
- Anaesthetic is given around the tubes above the testes (and not into the testes as some may think).
- An opening is made in the scrotum.
- A tube is pulled out and a section removed.
- Any bleeding and both the free ends of the tube are cauterised and dropped back into the scrotum
- The same is done to the other tube through the same hole in the scrotum
- The opening in the scrotum is cauterised.
Other Information
- Sometimes we have to do things slightly differently to the above depending on your anatomy or circumstances that arise.
- There are some risks which patients should be aware of and can be found on this website.