The intention of a vasectomy is to make a man sterile and no longer capable of fathering further children. You should therefore not think about having a vasectomy unless you are absolutely sure that you will never want another child.

All vasectomy procedures at Sandyford are carried out under local anaesthesia. Local anaesthetic is injected under the skin surface of the scrotum to freeze the area. The aim of the procedure is to remove a portion of the tube (Vas deferens) from both sides of the scrotum. To achieve this, local anaesthetic is injected under the skin on either side of the scrotum. A small cut is made in the skin and a small portion of the tube is removed. The ends of the tube are then destroyed by passing a small electrical needle down the centre of each tube. A single stitch may be used to close the wound on the skin. The stitches normally dissolve themselves within 1-3 weeks. The doctor will complete one side of the procedure before starting on the other.

At Sandyford the vasectomy procedure is only performed under local anaesthetic. If you would prefer the procedure performed under general anaesthetic, we can discuss this at your counselling appointment and refer as appropriate.

It's important that we have an up to date record of your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is a measurement of your height and your weight. If your BMI is above 35 we will not perform the procedure. This is because it will make the vasectomy technically more difficult and there is a greater risk of complications.

After the procedure

There will be some discomfort for the following 48 hours. Most men have some bruising and swelling. If you are employed we recommend you arrange to take the next day or two off work, and we recommend that you keep off your feet as much as possible. Wearing tight fitting underpants often helps to support the scrotum and applies pressure to any bleeding. The area can be bathed the following day. Adding salt to bath water can help healing. Any stitches should dissolve themselves.

What do I do if I want to have a vasectomy

You can make an appointment at Sandyford to discuss and arrange your vasectomy. You do not need to be referred by your GP. If you wish to proceed, an appointment should be made  for discussion. Before this appointment you should watch the video above which details everything you need to know – it is important you do this as it forms part of the informed consent process.  During the assessment appointment a specialist nurse will confirm that you have understood all the information about all aspects of the procedure including the failure rate and known complications. There will be an opportunity to discuss in confidence any questions or issues you may have regarding vasectomy. If you wish to proceed, you can then make the appointment for your operation.  Appointments are available at Sandyford Central, Monday to Friday.

At the assessment appointment

Assessment clinics run weekly on Monday and Tuesday. During the appointment all aspects of the procedure will be discussed including the failure rate and known complications. This appointment usually lasts 15 minutes.