Microsurgical vasectomy reversal at Spire Bristol Hospital

If your circumstances change, vasectomy reversal offers a chance to father a child.

Vasectomy reversal is the surgical operation to repair the vas deferens which was cut at the time of vasectomy. It is done with the intention of restoring a man’s fertility. Usually 1 or 2 centimetres of the vas is removed at the time of a vasectomy and the cut ends are either tied off with thread or the opening in the vas is cauterized.

After a vasectomy the testicles continue to produce sperm, albeit at a slower rate, these sperm pass into the tubing upstream of the vasectomy site (known as the epididymis), where they eventually shrivel up and die.

You will have a formal consultation with a healthcare professional. During this time you will be able to explain your medical history, symptoms and raise any concerns that you might have.

We will also discuss with you whether any further diagnostic tests, such as scans or blood tests, are needed. Any additional costs will be discussed before further tests are carried out.

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Our dedicated team will also give you tailored advice to follow in the run up to your visit.

We understand that undergoing surgery might cause anxiety worry. Our experienced caring clinical staff there as well as delivering excellent care and treatment, they’ll answer your questions and provide reassurance if you are worried at any stage.

A microsurgical vasectomy reversal operation is usually done under a general anaesthetic, which means you'll be asleep throughout the procedure and will feel no pain. The general anaesthetic ensures you are completely still during a very delicate procedure.

The vas deferens has the appearance and is about the same size as a piece of cooked spaghetti. The actual opening or lumen of the vas, through which the sperm pass, is less than 1 millimetre in diameter. The vasectomy reversal is therefore a delicate procedure best done using an operating microscope for magnification. Microsurgical vasectomy reversal offers the best method of accurately rejoining the cut ends of the vas and is known to have the highest success rates.

The operation may take two hours to perform, it is usually performed under a general anaesthetic using small incisions made on either side of the scrotal sac. The two ends of the vas are cut back until a healthy opening is found and the fluid which issues from the testicular end is then examined under a microscope to check that sperm or at least pieces of sperm are present. If they are, then the two ends of the vas are carefully joined with extremely fine stitches. This is known as a vasovasostomy. If no sperm are found then the vas is explored “up-stream” towards the testicle. Here, the tube which carries the sperm is of a very small diameter and is tightly coiled, this structure is called the epididymis.

After a vasectomy this delicate tubing may get extremely full and little “blow outs” occur. Unfortunately these often heal with scarring and block the epididymis at this level. If such a block has occurred then it is necessary to join the fine tube in the epididymis to the vas (known as an epididymovasostomy). Even using the operating microscope the small size of the epididymal tube makes this extremely challenging surgery and the results are not as good as a straight forward vasovasostomy.

Blockage at this level becomes more common as the time interval between vasectomy and reversal gets longer and it is one of the reasons that men with a longer time interval will have a lower success rate.

A microvasectomy reversal is routinely performed as a day-case procedure, with no overnight stay in hospital.

Pain relief

You may remember that after your vasectomy your scrotum was sore and bruised for a few days. Expect something similar after the procedure is reversed.

Recovery time

It's best to avoid any form of sexual activity for three weeks after operation as ejaculation can damage the delicate reconnection work that your surgeon performed. You should be able to resume other daily activities within a day or two.

End results

It is possible that your partner could conceive a child soon any time you resume intercourse.

After you leave hospital

Even once you’ve left hospital, we’re still here for you. Your consultant will likely want to see you after your operation to see how you're doing. A follow up appointment will be made for you.

On rare occasions, complications can occur. If you experience any of these symptoms - increased swelling or redness, increased bleeding from the wounds, a high temperature or fever, severe pain – don’t hesitate to call us. We will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.

If you have any questions or concerns about your recovery, we're ready to help.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.