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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffVasectomy is generally a very safe procedure. Serious side effects or complications are rare.
Vasectomy side effects right after surgery can include:
- Swelling
- Bruising of your scrotum
- Bleeding or a blood clot (hematoma) inside the scrotum
- Blood in your semen
- Infection of the surgery site
Complications that may occur some time after surgery include:
- Pregnancy, in the rare event that your vasectomy fails to block the flow of sperm or the tubes that carry sperm grow back together. A semen analysis about three months after your surgery will verify that there are no sperm present.
- Fluid buildup in the testicle, which can cause a dull ache in the testicles that gets worse with ejaculation.
- An immune system response to leaking sperm that causes inflammation around the testicle (granuloma).
Although a few researchers have suggested that vasectomy increases your risk of prostate or testicular cancer, studies have found no clear link between the two.
If you change your mind about having a child, it may be possible to reverse your vasectomy. However, there's no guarantee a vasectomy reversal will work — and the surgery is more complicated and risky than is the original vasectomy. Before you get a vasectomy, you should be certain you don't want to father a child in the future.
- Ongaro T, et al. Overview of vasectomy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
- Sandlow J. Vasectomy. In: Wein A, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/113902114-4/783811529/1445/37.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50036-4--cesec5_2536. Accessed December 17, 2008.
- Clenny T, et al. Vasectomy techniques. American Family Physician. http://www.aafp.org/afp/990700ap/137.html. Accessed Dec. 17, 2008.
