Determining if Your Vasectomy Reversal Was Successful

Vasectomy reversal success rates depend on a wide range of factors, including time since the original vasectomy procedure. When you schedule a vasectomy reversal at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, Dr. Green will discuss your specific case with you so you understand the personal factors that will contribute to the success of your procedure. After surgery, there are a few different ways to determine if your procedure was successful. Here are some of the indicators your vasectomy has been successfully reversed.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is naturally an indicator of a successful vasectomy reversal. A pregnancy shows that sperm has successfully moved through the reproductive system and that there is not scar tissue to form a blockage that could impede the movement of sperm. Although reversing male infertility through vasectomy reversal is the goal of most reversal procedures, not achieving a pregnancy is not necessarily an indicator that the reversal has failed. It is possible for sperm to be present in the ejaculate but pregnancy still remain elusive for a number of factors, including fertility problems with the female partner. When a pregnancy does occur, however, you can be confident of a successful reversal.

Semen Analysis

Six to eight weeks after most vasectomy reversals, surgeons evaluate the patient’s semen under a microscope to look for the presence of sperm. If sperm is not present, it does not mean that the reversal has been unsuccessful. Some men can take a year or more to begin to have sperm in their semen again. Your surgeon may recommend periodic testing to look for sperm. If sperm is not present in the semen after a certain amount of time, your surgeon may recommend making another attempt at the reversal. This allows your surgeon to ensure that no scar tissue is blocking the sperm and to make any necessary adjustments if scar tissue is present.

Dr. Green and the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is committed to helping patients attain their goals of starting a family with reversal surgeries and other solutions for male infertility. To make an appointment with Dr. Green in Sarasota , please call (941) 961-4581.