Vasectomy Reversal

The Success Rate Of Vasectomy Reversals

One of the first questions asked about vasectomy reversal procedures regards the success rate of such procedures. There are certain doctors that advertise, especially those that advertise online that claim their success rate for a vasectomy reversal is extremely high. This can sometimes be as high as twice the national average. The point though is that there are a number of ways a person or place can claim to have a high success rate of vasectomy reversals.

The success rate of vasectomy reversals is divided into several different sets. The procedure itself is attempting to undo the first operation. With a vasectomy, the doctor goes inside the man’s penis and severs the tube that carries sperm from the body. As this is meant to be a permanent birth control solution, the doctor may take special pains to ensure that the surgery is completed accurately and completely. This is one reason why success rates for vasectomy reversals are so low. The doctor does not plan to have this tube reconnected, and may not leave enough to connect it in the future.

According to national statistics, the success rate of vasectomy reversal procedures is 40-50%. This statistic refers to the number of men that later father children through natural means, i.e. sexual intercourse. In recent years the number has hovered around 48%. That means that over 50% of men who have the surgery done, do not father children afterwards. It is important that men considering this surgery realize that they may still not be able to have children.

There are some doctors that consider their success rate of vasectomy reversal procedures to be those cases where the tube is reconnected. There are a number of cases where the space between the two pieces of tube are too great for them to be connected. In other cases the original doctor may not have left enough of the tube for it to be connected. This makes it impossible for the man to have the surgery completed. Doctors have realized this, and some have fudged the success rate of their vasectomy reversal surgeries. Instead of saying that 40% of their patients father children, they say that 90% of their vasectomy reversal procedures are a success. By success they mean that the surgery itself was a success, but not what happens later.

The success rate of vasectomy reversal procedures may also be dependent upon the person’s partner. Doctors recommend that the patient try with the same partner for at least six months regularly before questioning their success rate of the vasectomy reversal. The man’s partner should be in good physical health, and have no problems conceiving. The success rate of a vasectomy reversal procedure may also be dependent upon the length of time between procedures. The longer a man waits after his vasectomy to have the vasectomy reversal, the less his chances are that it will be successful. After a decade, the chances of the procedure working drop dramatically. Doctors recommend that men who want a successful vasectomy reversal should seek one less than five years after the original operation.