Vasectomy

Vasectomy is permanent male sterilisation. Previously, this was a procedure performed under General Anaesthetic in hospital with a surgical procedure followed by a considerable recovery period that put many men off undergoing the treatment. At Holywood Private Clinic, we are delighted to be able to perform a Minimally Invasive (Keyhole) Procedure under Local Anaesthetic with a short operating time and quick recovery.   

The ‘Minimally Invasive’ technique has been around for over 30 years. This technique is equally as effective as conventional vasectomy technique and is the standard approach now used for vasectomy worldwide.

It can be performed with ‘No Scalpel’ and ‘No Stitches’ which gives the patient a relatively painfree experience and short recovery time.

A small area in the scrotum is numbed with local anaesthetic prior to a small incision being made. This facilitates a pain free procedure whereby both vasa (tubes) can be accessed and divided.  The patient is awake for the duration of the procedure. Minor discomfort may be experienced whilst infiltrating the Local anaesthetic however this takes effect very quickly to facilitate the vasectomy procedure.

Post-operatively, there could be mild tenderness around the operative site however this is easily controlled with simple pain relief like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.

Our service offers a pre-operative consultation in our clinic based at The Culloden Hotel & Spa where the procedure will be fully discussed and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions. This will be at least 2 weeks prior to the procedure to allow patients time to fully consider all the information before proceeding to the operation.

The vasectomy procedure itself is very quick and usually lasts around 20 minutes.  Post-operatively, we request that you remain on-site for a short period of time for observation prior to departure so the entire visit is approximately 1 hour.  We request that you do not drive on the day of the procedure.

Most men are able to return to work after 2-3 days recovery, however this may be slightly longer if your job is particularly physical in nature. We recommend at least one week off sports or physical exercise.

Vasectomy does not affect libido or sexual function. A man continues to produce an ejaculate, however this simply no longer contains sperm.  It is safe to resume sexual relations after 2-3 days provided there is no tenderness or discomfort. 

Long term, vasectomy has been shown to be over 99% effective and represents the most effective form of long-term contraception. 

The patient is not sterile immediately after the procedure. Sperm are still present in both parts of the tube and this requires time to achieve clearance. We recommend approximately 30 ejaculations prior to Semen Analysis which is undertaken 16 weeks (4 months) post-procedure.    Therefore, an alternative form of contraception should be used until we contact you to inform you that the procedure has been successful.  

Occasionally there are still sperm present in the first sample and a second sample is recommended 7 months post-procedure. Approximately 1 in 100 cases continue to have sperm present after a vasectomy and this is often due to one of the tubes re-joining (Re-canalisation) and the whole procedure would then need to be repeated.  

Vasectomy should be considered an irreversible and permanent form of contraception. The procedure can be reversed in certain circumstances however this is not always successful and needs to be undertaken by a Urologist within the hospital setting. 

This procedure is more affordable than you might think. The process consists of an initial consultation priced at £150 which is non-refundable. During this consultation Dr Beatty will assess eligibility and discuss all the details of the procedure with you. This gives you a chance to ask any questions you might have on the Minimally Invasive Vasectomy procedure.

The procedure itself is priced at £800.