The Vasectomy Reversal Operation

To watch an edited film of Mr Swinn carrying out a vasectomy reversal at The Vasectomy Reversal Clinic, please click on the "Vasectomy Reversal Video" tab on the left of this page.

Mr Swinn performing a vasectomy reversal at The Vasectomy Reversal Clinic using a Zeiss high power operating microscope to achieve a microsurgical anastomosis

A vasectomy involves cutting the tubes which carry sperms away from the testicle (each is called a vas). Around 4% of men undergoing a vasectomy subsequently require it to be reversed. In essence, the reversal operation involves finding the site of the previous vasectomy on both sides, removing any scar tissue and delicately joining the two ends together.

At the vasectomy reversal operation any scar tissue from the previous vasectomy is excised and both cut ends of the vas tubes are probed to ensure patency and to dilate them gently. The cut ends are brought together and held in a specially designed clamp to enable them to be joined together with a very fine suture material hardly visible with the naked eye (8/0 or 10/0 prolene). A second layer of  sutures is then put in to strengthen the join. A high powered operating microscope is used throughout to enhance vision.

Joining the two cut ends of the vas together is called a vasovasostomy.  This operation takes about 2-2.5 hours and all are carried out under general anaesthetic. Operations are carried out in the morning and patients generally stay overnight and are discharged the following day.

A more complicated procedure (a vasoepididymostomy) may be required if the vas coming away from the testicle is too scarred to carry sperm through it or if the vasectomy was carried out very low down, ie close to the testicle.  A vasoepididymostomy involves joining the vas tubes directly to the epididymis (the sperm stores near the surface of each testicle). Mr Swinn carries out vasoepididymostomy if required, though frequently it is only apparent that this is the best option for reconstruction at the time of surgery.