Vasectomy in Orange County, CA
Each year in the U.S., around half a million men choose to have a vasectomy to permanently prevent them causing a pregnancy. The team at Southland Urology in Orange County, California offers safe, minimally invasive vasectomy procedures from their comfortable and modern office. If you’re sure you don’t want to have any more children, call the experts at Southland Urology to schedule a consultation. Our offices our conveniently located in Fullerton and Yorba Linda, CA.
What is a Vasectomy?
Urology Health explained that a vasectomy is a form of birth control during which the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm, are cut. When the tube is cut, there is no way for sperm to be released from the penis. This procedure is considered a permanent form of birth control, but it is possible to have a reversal surgery should the patient change their mind in the future. In most cases, a vasectomy will be performed in-office and is considered an outpatient procedure.
Benefits of Having a Vasectomy
It is recommended that Orange County men only get a vasectomy when they are certain that they no longer wish to have children. According to Health Line vasectomies are the preferred choice for many couples because:
- The use of male birth control (condoms) or female birth control (pills, IUDs, etc.) is no longer needed.
- The procedure is almost 100 percent certain to prevent pregnancy.
- It is much less expensive than female sterilization.
How is This Procedure Performed?
You should plan on the procedure taking 10-15 minutes. After undressing below the waist, you will have the affected area sterilized and a sterile drape will be positioned. Then, your urologist will numb the area with a local anesthetic; you should just feel a slight pinch and burn sensation. If you have any pain during the procedure, tell your urologist and he will give you more anesthetic. During the procedure, the ends of the vas deferens will be cut, cauterized, and sealed to prevent reconnection. The hole made for the procedure is so small that you may not even require stitches (or just a single stitch), so you can go home after with minimal fuss.
How to Prepare For Your Vasectomy?
Healthgrades listed out 7 tips to prepare for a vasectomy, do not take aspirin or ibuprofen products for the week leading up to your vasectomy. The day before or morning of, shower and shave the entire scrotum, and the area where the scrotum and penis meet. Wear comfortable clothing to the appointment and arrive approximately 15 minutes early.
What is the Recovery After a Vasectomy?
Immediately following your vasectomy at our office in Fullerton or Yorba Linda, there will be bruising and swelling, but those symptoms should subside after a few days. Apply ice packs every 20 minute on and off to help control these symptoms. Wear tight-fitting underwear for at least a week so that the scrotum is provided extra support.
Avoid any heavy lifting or major activity for at least a week, ideally two. Sexual activity can be resumed after one week. You can shower any time after the procedure, but avoid baths or swimming for two weeks.
Most patients are able to return to their normal lives after one week.
Enhancing Your Experience
Post-Vasectomy Semen Kit
For your convenience and to and make the process of confirming sterility (no more sperm) as easy as possible, we use a home-based kit service (Fellow Health) for purchase after your procedure at the retail price of $149. Once the kit is activated, it will remind via text message when you’re ready to submit your sample. You send your sample from home instead of having to go to a clinical laboratory. If additional home kits are needed, they are shipped to you at no additional cost.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas,” is a safe and effective option for managing anxiety and discomfort during a vasectomy. It’s administered to help patients relax, minimizing any potential pain or unease they may experience. The effects of nitrous oxide are quick-acting and wear off rapidly after the procedure, allowing patients to resume their normal activities shortly afterward and even drive themselves home. This makes it a convenient choice for those seeking a more comfortable and stress-free vasectomy experience. If you choose to use nitrous oxide during your vasectomy, you will breathe the gas in through a tube that you hold in your mouth, just like if you were snorkeling.
Extended Pain Control
We are proud to offer Exparel, a long-acting local numbing medication that lasts for about 3 days after your procedure. This helps to reduce discomfort after the procedure and reduce the need for oral pain medications. If you opt for Exparel during your vasectomy, the only difference to the procedure will be an additional injection of numbing medication to each vas deferens. Because you will have already received the short-acting numbing medication injection, you won’t even feel this second injection! The unique way that this medication is manufactured allows it to slowly break down and release the numbing agent over the course of 48-72 hours, providing continuous pain control to the area.
Vasectomy Frequently Asked Questions
The procedure usually takes between 10 to 20 minutes.
There is usually only minor discomfort. Local numbing medication eliminates any pain. We also provide the option of nitrous oxide, which helps reduce any anxiety during the quick procedure.
For most men, the recovery is quite quick and minimal. There is usually soreness for the first few days. During that time, it’s best to restrict physical activity and take it easy. Some bruising, swelling, and soreness is normal. We recommend acetaminophen on the day of the procedure and ibuprofen starting the day after for pain control. You are able to shower immediately after the procedure is performed. The stitches used are absorbable, so they will fall out on their own.
Wait at least one week before having sexual intercourse. Keep in mind, you may not be sterile right away. Ejaculate may still contain sperm and may continue for several months after the procedure. After a few months, the doctor will check sperm levels to confirm that it is declining until it reaches zero.
The vasectomy will not affect your sex drive and orgasms. Occasionally, men feel a slight pressure in their testicles when aroused, but eventually, that feeling will go away.
The overall risks of vasectomy are low, but as with any surgical procedure, risks exist. After the procedure, there can be bleeding, bruising, and pain. Uncommonly, a sperm granuloma, which is an inflammatory reaction to sperm, can occur. Post-vasectomy pain syndrome occurs in a low percentage of men and leads to chronic pain. There is a low (1 in 2000) rate of recanalization where the ends of the tubes reconnect to reestablish sperm in the ejaculate. Overall, the risks of vasectomy are very low and typically have no impact on a man’s long-term health.
We test for sterility 3 months after the procedure. This is accomplished through microscopic analysis of a semen sample. After confirming an absence of sperm in the sample, contraception can be stopped.
Alternatives to vasectomy include condom use, oral contraceptives for the female partner, intrauterine devices, vaginal hormonal contraceptives, and tubal ligation. Tubal ligation is a much more invasive and riskier procedure than vasectomy.
While a vasectomy can often be successfully reversed, it is not guaranteed and can be quite expensive. If you are considering vasectomy you should be very confident that you will not desire future fertility.
Vasectomy is a permanent form of birth control. If you are sure that you do not want any future children, this is the best option for you. It is a quick, easy, and safe procedure at our office.
Schedule Your Vasectomy with Southland Urology
If you would like to talk to a specialist at Southland Urology about a vasectomy at one of our Orange County area clinics, please give us a call at (714) 870-5970.