Vasectomy Reversal N1810
Description: Vasectomy Reversal
Code: N1810
What is a vasectomy reversal?
This is a procedure performed to reverse an earlier vasectomy. It involves rejoining the vas, the tubes that carry the sperm from your testicles to your penis, and is carried out under a general anaesthetic.
What is the cost?
Vasectomy reversal is not covered by any private medical insurance and we would provide you with a Fixed Price Quote so that you know the costs involved before deciding to have the operation.
Currently the charge for a vasectomy reversal at the Berkshire Independent Hospital is £2,465.00. This includes the surgeon's and anaesthetist's fees and associated hospital costs including drugs, dressings and inpatient pathology and is subject to a pre-admission assessment. The charge also includes one post-operative consultation and up to three semen tests.
Costs not include are pre-operative consultation charges, OP fees, post-operative diagnostic tests and personal items such as telephone calls and visitors meals.
Following your operation
Complications are rare but your wound can become infected or be subject to bruising. A small amount of swelling or bruising is normal, as is a small amount of seepage from the wound, but if there is any major swelling or you develop a high temperature please let your consultant or GP know without delay.
The anastomosis which joins the two ends of the vasa together is very delicate, using sutures as fine as your hair. It is unwise to indulge in any strenuous physical activity or sexual intercourse, which runs the risk of disrupting the anastomosis, immediately after surgery. After 2-3 weeks the risks of this are very much diminished and you can start to lead a normal life.
In order to see whether the operation as been successful you will need to produce a semen sample by masturbation at 4-6 weeks post operation. The nurse will give you a pot and form before you leave the hospital. The sample should be taken to the pathology lab at Berkshire Independent Hospital as soon as possible after production. Our consultant will write to you with the results when they are available.
Semen samples
1. The specimen should be collected after a period of sexual abstinence of at least 3 days but not longer than 7 days.
2. The specimen should be obtained by masturbation and ejaculated into a clean wide necked plastic container. The container should be warmed in the palm of your hand to minimise the effect of cooling.
3. The specimen should NOT be collected by the use of a condom or by ‘coitus interruptus’.
4. It is important that the whole specimen is collected.
5. The specimen should be clearly labelled with your name, the date and time of ejaculation.
6. The specimen should be delivered to The Mansion, Out-Patients Department, in a clear plastic bag with a pathology form, within one hour of collection and kept insulated during transportation.
7. Delivery to the department must be within the hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Chances of pregnancy following a vasectomy reversal
A vasectomy is meant to be a permanent method of male contraception and the chances of your partner becoming pregnant after a vasectomy reversal are very dependent upon:
- Your age
- The length of time since your vasectomy
- The viability of any sperm produced after the reversal
- Your partners medical history
The surgeons at Reading Urology have considerable experience in vasectomy reversal over many years. Currently, we expect between 80-85% of men who undergo vasectomy reversal to have a positive sperm count afterwards. The pregnancy rate amongst their partners is however significantly lower, and probably fewer than one third of the partners of men who have a successful reversal will naturally conceive. Others will go on to some form of assisted fertilisation with subsequently pregnancy.
The success rate is proportional to the length of time following the vasectomy. Most men seek vasectomy reversal within ten years and, as such, the bulk of knowledge about success relates to this period of time. Between 10 and 20 years the success rate seems to deteriorate and those men with over 20 years since their vasectomy have a very much lower success rate. There is no published average and indeed there are not enough men seeking that sort of procedure after 20 years to put together any meaningful data. In reality, we suspect fewer than 40% of men who had a vasectomy more than 20 years ago will have a positive sperm count after reversal.
Directly retrieving sperm using IVF type methods may in fact offer a greater chance of pregnancy for these men, since, if good sperm are retrieved, the probability of conceiving using a process called ICSI gives, we believe, a pregnancy rate not dissimilar from a natural conception rate. However, we have no experience of this process and we know that it is formidably more expensive than vasectomy reversal. In order to get good quality data, it would be necessary to consult with a Specialist Fertility Clinic for further advice.
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