Vasectomy Complications

Although most men experience minor complications immediately after a vasectomy, chronic complications are not common.

Image Credit: Mortortion Films / Shutterstock.com

Short-term complications

A majority of men experience some adverse effects immediately post-surgery, most commonly bruising, inflammation, and pain in the affected area. Occasionally, an infection may occur and some men may also notice blood in their semen the first few times they ejaculate following the procedure.

However, these effects are not usually long-lasting and subside within about a week. To manage the pain for the short-term, cold packs may be applied to the area and analgesic medications such as paracetamol and ibuprofen may also offer a benefit. Tight-fitting underwear can help to restrict movement and subsequent pain of the penis.

Post-vasectomy pain syndrome (PVPS)

PVPS is a syndrome involving chronic pain following a vasectomy, which may present immediately or delayed up to several years later. Most men do not suffer from ongoing pain but some studies have reported 3-10% of patients noting some issues.

The characteristics of PVPS pain can vary between cases from constant pain to intermittent pain that intensifies during certain activities, such as sexual intercourse or extensive physical exertion. The pain may affect one or both testicles and may be described as a dull ache or sharp and intense pain.

Primary progressive aphasia

Some scientific research has suggested a link between primary progressive aphasia, which is a form of dementia, and vasectomy. Patients who had had a vasectomy in the past were found to be twice as likely, with a risk of 40% in comparison to 16%, of developing this form of dementia as compared to the control group.

However, this link requires further research before it is regarded as true, as there have been no further studies to support this claim at this point in time.

Hematoma

In rare cases, a hematoma may develop inside the scrotum after a vasectomy. This is a collection of blood that forms a clot in the tissue surrounding a ruptured blood vessel. It is usually small in size but may grow to be very large in some men to fill the scrotum entirely and make the area become swollen and painful.

While the majority of cases of hematoma are minor and do not cause major issues, the quality of life is reduced significantly for some men as a result and may require surgical removal of the clot.

Sperm granulomas

Occasionally the vas deferens that has been clamped and cut during the vasectomy surgery may leak some sperm. It is possible for this sperm to then collect and form granulomas in the surrounding tissue, although this is rare.

These hard lumps may not cause any symptoms but they have the potential to become swollen and cause significant local pain. Depending on the severity of the condition, sperm granulomas may be managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or may need to be surgically removed.

Fertility

A vasectomy is considered to be a permanent form of contraception and men do not need to use an alternative method of contraception. However, very rarely the vas deferens may reconnect over time and lead to the presence of sperm in semen and, consequently, the ability to conceive a child.

Taking a sperm test to confirm sperm count is zero can help to confirm the efficacy of the vasectomy as a contraceptive method, but most men do not routinely require this.

References

Further Reading

Last Updated: Mar 11, 2023

Yolanda Smith

Written by

Yolanda Smith

Yolanda graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of South Australia and has experience working in both Australia and Italy. She is passionate about how medicine, diet and lifestyle affect our health and enjoys helping people understand this. In her spare time she loves to explore the world and learn about new cultures and languages.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Smith, Yolanda. (2023, March 11). Vasectomy Complications. News-Medical. Retrieved on December 13, 2024 from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Vasectomy-Complications.aspx.

  • MLA

    Smith, Yolanda. "Vasectomy Complications". News-Medical. 13 December 2024. <https://www.news-medical.net/health/Vasectomy-Complications.aspx>.

  • Chicago

    Smith, Yolanda. "Vasectomy Complications". News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Vasectomy-Complications.aspx. (accessed December 13, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Smith, Yolanda. 2023. Vasectomy Complications. News-Medical, viewed 13 December 2024, https://www.news-medical.net/health/Vasectomy-Complications.aspx.

Comments

  1. Antarpuneet Singh Antarpuneet Singh India says:

    informative article...

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Study assesses how the Dobbs ruling changed permanent contraception procedures among young adults