Questionnaire-based outcomes study of nononcological post-vasectomy complications.

ABSTRACT

PIP: 500,000 to 1 million vasectomies are performed annually with only a 2-3% complication rate. However, despite the low complication and failure rates of the procedure, vasectomy is a leading cause of urological litigation. The authors conducted an outcomes analysis to determine the incidence of post-vasectomy complications, particularly the incidence of chronic scrotal pain related to vasectomy and its impact upon quality of life. A questionnaire of 154 questions addressing post-vasectomy complications, incidence of post-vasectomy scrotal pain, and quality of life issues was sent to 470 patients selected from the Henry Ford Hospital database who underwent vasectomy between January 1988 and November 1992. Follow-up telephone surveys were conducted. 182 patients responded to the questionnaires. The participants were followed for a mean period of 4.8 years. The most common complication was post-vasectomy scrotal pain in 34 men, which adversely affected the quality of life in four. 71.4% of the men were, however, satisfied with having decided to undergo vasectomy, 19.3% had equivocal feelings, and 9.3% were dissatisfied.