The performance of vasectomy in an urban municipality. Practical considerations for follow-up.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To establish an adequate follow-up protocol based on time to azoospermia achievement after vasectomy. Also, to review the rate of complications in our setting. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 391 men who underwent vasectomy. Follow-up was performed by means of semen analysis 6 months after surgery, and then every 3 months until azoospermia was achieved. Data of visits to the emergency unit at our centre were obtained within the first 30 postoperative days. RESULTS: During follow-up 567 semen analysis were performed. From 391 vasectomy interventions, 275 had at least one semen sample available and valid for processing. After the first 6 months from surgery, 41.1%men still presented nonmotile rare sperm in semen analysis, 9.7% after 9 months, and 4.7% after 12 months. If semen analysis was postponed from 6 to 9 months after surgery, a total yearly saving of 6,153.23 Euro would be observed in our setting, but with the drawback of delaying the diagnosis of azoospermia in nearly 60% of men. Overall complication rate was 3.1%(only one man required hospital admittance and reintervention). No statistical difference was observed in operative time with regard to the presence or absence of urological complications. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of men not achieving azoospermia 6 months after surgery is notorious. Vasectomy practice in our setting seems to be reliable and safe, with a limited rate of complications.