Vasectomy Reversals 2023
A vasectomy reversal is the most logical, cost-effective and safest way of having a child together after a vasectomy.
This page, written by international authority Dr. Sheldon Marks, reviews many of the reasons why so many men do their research and choose to travel to us every day from every state in the US and more than 85 countries around the world. In fact, just recently we had a patient from Japan, one from Canada and another from a small island nation near Fiji. Another patient came to us from Kazakhstan. This is an average week here at ICVR, where both doctors vas perform vas reversals every day, Monday to Friday.
Of course, the success of a precision microsurgical vasectomy reversal is the goal. Being able to have children together after a vasectomy is what this is all about. Everything else is simply noise.
Our experts can achieve a proven, published success as high as 99.5% at our full-time, vas reversal only center-of-excellence using a microsurgical instrument invented and named after Dr. Marks, the “Marks Vas Cutting Forceps.”
Both doctors here at ICVR limit themselves to only one vas reversal a day (3). This “one vas reversal a day” approach ensures that the doctor is not in a hurry to get to the next surgery, so every patient does not have to worry that the urologist will cut corners or be under pressure to move fast if there are unexpected challenges that take more time. It makes sense that limiting themselves to just one reverse vasectomy each day also means that the surgeon can take the time to provide his full focus and undivided attention-to-detail.
Another advantage to each patient by not having to perform several vasectomy reversals in a day is that the doctor will not be fatigued while performing the later cases. Even though the microsurgery is not physically strenuous, a 2 to 3 hour precision microsurgery definitely leads to fatigue so that the surgeon, no matter how skilled and experienced, will definitely not be performing as well as with the first procedure of the day.
A correctly performed microsurgical vasectomy reversal is one of the most technically challenging surgeries in urology and perhaps all of medicine (2). The goal is for the urologic microsurgeon to precisely reconnect the previously damaged and surgically prepared ends of the vas together in precise 3 to 4 layers by placing more than 2 dozen delicate individual microsutures under a high-power surgical microscope. This will allow sperm to once again flow through the vas to restore fertility after vasectomy.
Dr. Marks is honored to be one of a few experts that actually teaches state-of-the-art vasectomy reversal techniques to other vas reversal doctors at the annual AUA (American Urologic Association) meetings for the past 15 years (with Dr. Peter Schlegel of Cornell/NY Presbyterian and Dr. Bob Oates from Boston University), plus he wrote the textbook on vas reversals (1), and teaches at the ASRM (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) Special Master’s course (with other world leaders Dr. Peter Chan from Montreal, Quebec, Dr. Mark Sigman at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and Dr. Marc Goldstein at Cornell/NY Presbyterian), so he is uniquely qualified to highlight these points.
Dr. Marks wrote the only textbook for doctor teaching them how to perform vasectomy reversals (1), the ASRM certification course on vas reversals as well as teaching round-table discussions on reverse vasectomies and another on epididymal bypass (vasoepididymostomy) techniques. Plus, we are the go-to experts for WebMD, DrWeil.com and BottomLine Health.
There are many doctors that are willing to perform vasectomy reversals but don’t do these very often or they may cut corners for a number of reasons, so their patients often end up with lower success, delayed success and more complications. Other doctors don’t even offer or understand the importance of providing continued care after the reverse vasectomy to be sure the sperm counts are good and stay at target levels, which provides a higher level of success and so better chances to achieve the dream of having a child together.
Surprisingly many doctors that perform vas reversals are not even trained in urology, microsurgery or vasectomy reversals, yet they still announce themselves as vas reversal experts. With diligent research most couples will quickly see that some self proclaimed “experts” are not what they want potential patients to believe.
Because even the worst doctors who perform a vas reversal after vasectomy will still have lots of babies (the amazing power of the body to heal itself), it is smart to dig deeper to learn more about the doctor, his or her training, years of experience, what level of aftercare is offered and the success. Is their success just what they claim or is it their published success as we provide here at ICVR? Ask the tough questions, listen to what they say and more importantly, what they often don’t say.
It is smart to consider the doctor that is selected to perform the vasectomy reversal to be an investment with life-long consequences that will likely impact on whether or not the vas reversal works or has complications. We are confident that those that do the research and ask the tough questions will quickly see what makes ICVR a logical choice.
Of course, there are many excellent urologists that we know and respect who can perform vas reversals around the world, and if you go to one you will most certainly get a successful reverse vasectomy. We encourage all prospective patients to gather information to be used for intelligent, up-to-date shared decision-making about which doctor and center will provide each couple the very highest chances for success. Sometimes the top expert is right down the street, and other times he or she may be a distance away, such as in Tucson, Arizona.
We encourage everyone to read more on our site, and call us at (888) 722-2929 to ask questions of our senior professionals and learn more about who we are and why our patients achieve a high vas reversal success rate as we work to “Make Men Dads AgainTM.”
This page was reviewed, edited and updated January 4, 2023 by Sheldon H. F. Marks, MD.
References:
1. Marks SHF. Vasectomy Reversal: Manual of Vasovasostomy and Vasoepididymostomy. New York; Springer; 2018.
2. Silber SJ, Grotjan HE. Microscopic vasectomy reversal 30 years later: a summary of 4010 cases by the same surgeon. J Androl 2004;25(6):845-859).
3. Crosnoe LE, Kim ED, Perkins AR, Marks MB, Burrows PJ, Marks SH. Angled vas cutter for vasovasostomy: technique and results. Fertility and Sterility.2014;101(3):636-639).