Vasectomy Reversals

Since you came to this website looking for information on how to reverse a vasectomy, we're going to assume you already know the basics of how a vasectomy is done and why it works. So we'll skip the anatomy lesson and stick to information about vasectomy reversal.

Currently there are two procedures that are generally used in to reverse a vasectomy.

Vasovasostomy 

This type of vasectomy reversal is the simplest, but results can be "iffy." It's usually done as an outpatient procedure, performed by a urologist, under magnification, with either general or regional anesthesia. The urologist reconnects the tubes known as the vas deferens. These are the tubes that were severed during the man's vasectomy. By reconnecting them, it's again possible for sperm to re-enter the urethra during ejaculation, combining with fluid from the seminal vesicles, prostate gland and the bulbourethral glands to form semen.
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This operation sometimes fails because the vasectomy procedure often results in anti-sperm antibodies being produced to help break down the sperm cells.  This can result in a lower sperm count, which of course, lessens the possibility of fertilizing a woman's egg. Doctors generally warn men who want to reverse a vasectomy that they probably won’t be able to produce enough healthy sperm to father a child if their vasectomy was done more than 15 years before.

There's another option however, which historically has a higher rate of success.

Vasoepididymostomy

A vasoepididymostomy is a type of vasectomy reversal that requires more complex surgery. It's also done by a urologist.

A vasoepididymostomy, often abbreviated VE, is used when it's clear a vasovasostomy won’t work due to a blockage of sperm.  The procedure requires an involved process of attaching the vas deferens to the point of blockage.  It's a complicated and demanding procedure that requires an extremely competent and experienced surgeon.

A vasectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures done in the United States today. Each man is counseled extensively before the operation, but nonetheless about 1 in 20 eventually wants to have a vasectomy reversal. Most of these men wish to have children with a new partner following a divorce.

Pregnancy rates vary depending on the type of reversal as well as the amount of time that has passed since the vasectomy. 

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