Vasectomy Post Operative Care

• Normally is a Day Only Procedure.
• Please note following general anaesthetic, you must not drive or travel on public transport alone for 24 hours and you must ensure that you have someone to take you home from the hospital.

At Home after the Operation

• Dressings will fall off in 24 to 48 hours. You may shower.
• Sutures will dissolve in approximate 3 to 4 weeks from surgery. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THESE EARLY BY PULLING ON THEM.
• It is important to wear 2 pairs of supportive under pants; this will help to reduce the amount of swelling that you may have post procedure.
• It is normal to see a little bruising in the first week or so.
• Occasionally, using ice packs to your scrotal area will help decrease swelling and bruising.
• Take pain relief as prescribed by your doctor. This is very useful in the first 48hrs.
  Note: Codeine can cause constipation.
• Do not undertake heavy lifting, straining at constipation or strenuous exercise for 10 days to 2 weeks following the procedure.
• Some bruising and swelling of the scrotum in the first week is normal.
• Cut dressing (melolin) into 3 sections and use one section each day over the suture line for comfort.  This dressing will help prevent the sutures sticking to your underwear.

Contact your Surgeon

Contact your surgeon if you have any of these problems after surgery:

• Fever (with a temperature of more than 38°C) or chills
• Heavy bleeding from the incision
• Increasing swelling of the scrotum or swelling around the surgical sites
• Increasing pain
• Redness spreading from incision points
• Any other concerns regarding your surgery

Post Procedure

You will NOT be sterile immediately after vasectomy. Sperm are still present in the tubing beyond the vasectomy site and can reach the semen.

Ejaculations after vasectomy remove the remaining sperm from the vas deferens. After vasectomy, it will take at least 3 months and 30 ejaculations for the remaining sperm to be eliminated from your vas.

As a result of this, you would need to CONTINUE WITH YOUR USUAL CONTRACEPTIVE until your sterility is confirmed by a semen analysis which shows that there are no live sperm remaining. Please ensure the sperm count is done 3 months post procedure.

(Pathology form is given to you by Dr Vass)

Dr Vass’s rooms will give you a call with the result in the following week or so.  If you have not heard in that time please call the rooms.

There is no need to have follow up with the doctor post procedure unless you have any concerns.