The Success Rate of Vasectomy Reversal Procedures

The success rate of vasectomy reversal operations has seen drastic improvements in the last decade. Now that this surgical procedure takes place through the aid of a computer in micro-surgery, success rates for vasectomy reversals have gotten better than when it was first introduced.

Although a vasectomy is prescribed as a permanent method of birth control for males, there may be many factors that could cause you to change your mind and get a vasectomy reversal. Whether you have gone through trauma, remarriage or experienced a child go through a terminal ailment, the success rate of a vasectomy reversal should encourage you that it can still be a possibility for you to have children again.

Factors Affecting the Success Rate of Vasectomy Reversals

Of course, the success of this procedure is still dependent on a number of things. For starters, success relies heavily on how large a section of the vas tubes was cut off in the initial vasectomy. Some urologists cut off the tubes primarily to avoid spontaneous rejoining later on and prevent unwanted pregnancies.

It is also critical to find a good surgeon since this will affect the success rate of the vasectomy reversal operation. The method that the surgeon will employ will also have a bearing on the procedure. For instance, a vasovasostomy will result in a pregnancy rate of 64% but for a vasoepididymostomy, the pregnancy rate can go as low as 41%.

But all these statistics can still be affected by cases wherein the woman was infertile or the vasectomy reversal failed and had to be repeated.

For repeat operations, the success rate of a vasectomy reversal can still be quite optimistic. Data shows that the pregnancy rate for one case went from 54 to 43 percent after the second reversal procedure. But even if success rates are high, it usually takes awhile before results can be seen. Sperm can only start flowing four to six months after the vasectomy reversal operation and pregnancy can only occur up to a year later. Success is also affected by late obstructions that can be detected in about 12% of patients who develop complications after more than a year has passed since the operation.

On the part of the patient, the time that has elapsed since the initial vasectomy was performed will play a role. Ideally, it is best that reversal is done three to six years after vasectomy. Once you let more than seven years lapse, the success rate of a vasectomy reversal will go from 97 to 79 percent, a staggering drop.