What to Expect After a Vasectomy Reversal

After your vasectomy, you probably didn’t need much down time to recover. A vasectomy is a simple, outpatient procedure, and most men are able to go back to work about two days after they’ve had it done. But what about vasectomy reversal? While a vasectomy reversal is also an outpatient procedure, it’s much more complex. Does that make recovery more intense? Here’s what you can expect after a vasectomy reversal.

• After your surgery, expect some pain. In fact, you may have pain in your groin for one to three weeks. There may also be bruising and swelling, and you’ll need to wear tight-fitting underwear or compression shorts for about a week to support the area and prevent any stitches from coming out. Your stitches should dissolve in about seven to 10 days. Fortunately, the pain probably won’t be severe and should start to improve over the course of several days.
• Take it easy for that first week. For the first 24 hours, rest whenever you feel tired. Lie down as much as possible and remember that sleep is important for your recovery. After the first day, gradually increase your activity, walking a little bit daily and trying to go a little further each day. This is important for increasing your blood flow, and it can prevent constipation and pneumonia. Don’t do anything that could be hard on your groin, or anything that involves lifting heavy things. Don’t ride a bike, jog, do aerobic exercise, or lift weights until your doctor says it’s ok, usually anywhere from four to eight weeks after the procedure. Don’t lift anything as heavy as a milk jug, and certainly don’t lift a child. Let someone else do the driving, until your doctor gives you the go-ahead to drive again.
• Keep the area dry. You can shower, but your doctor may advise you to wear an athletic supporter when you do so. Don’t take a bath or do anything else that would get your testicles wet.
• Ask your doctor when you can resume your daily activities. If you have a desk job, you may be able to return to work as soon as one week after your surgery. However, if your job involves any kind of strenuous activity or heavy lifting, it could take a few more weeks before you’re ready to go back. Your doctor can advise you on this and will also give you instruction on when you can resume having sex. Typically, men are advised to wait at least four weeks.
• Your doctor will also give you instructions about medication and diet. IF you are prescribed pain medication, be careful to take it only as directed. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, make sure to take the full course, and don’t stop just because you feel better. Ask for instructions about restarting any medication you had been taking before the procedure. Most of the time, you can return to your normal diet. However, if your medication is making you feel sick to your stomach, a bland diet may be best. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, unless your doctor advises you otherwise.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we are well-versed in providing effective vasectomy reversals. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Getting Pregnant After a Vasectomy Reversal

While vasectomies have long been considered a permanent form of birth control, today’s advances in microsurgical techniques have made it possible to successfully reverse a vasectomy. Typically, you will be able to conceive a child after vasectomy reversal: studies indicate that about 75 percent of men who have undergone vasectomy reversal can conceive naturally. However, the process can take time. Here are some factors that come into play when you are trying to get pregnant after having a vasectomy reversed.

• The type of vasectomy reversal impacts the length of time it takes to conceive. The simpler form of reversal is called a vasovasostomy, and men who have this kind of procedure should have sperm present in the ejaculate after about three months. The more complicated type of procedure, a vasoepididymostomy, is done when there is a blockage in the epididymis, close to the testicle. After this kind of procedure, it can take six to 12 months for the ejaculate to contain sperm.
• It takes some time for sperm count to build back up to the right levels for conception. Just because sperm is present in the ejaculate, it does not necessarily mean there is a normal sperm count. It takes time for sperm to normalize, and it can be several months before the sperm count is high enough for conception. Once it is, it can still take several months for a couple to conceive.
• The amount of time since the vasectomy affects the success of the reversal. Typically, the longer it has been, the more difficult it will be to conceive. The highest rates of success are usually seen within five years of the procedure, and after 10 years, pressure can cause a blockage that will mean the surgeon must perform a difficult procedure, known as a vas-to-epididymis reconstruction, which can reduce the success rate for conception.
• Both paternal and maternal age come into play when trying to conceive after a vasectomy reversal. In women over thirty-five years of age, hormone and ovulation cycles are more difficult to predict, and this increases the difficulty of conception. For men over fifty, sperm quality or concentration can decrease, increasing the amount of time needed to conceive. In some cases, an alternative method of conception, such as in vitro fertilization, may be recommended to help increase the chances of conception.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we are well-versed in providing effective vasectomy reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

What to Consider Before Having a Vasectomy Reversed

A vasectomy is a fairly straightforward procedure, an outpatient operation with few complications. A vasectomy reversal, on the other hand, is complicated. While today’s vasectomy reversals are much more effective than the reversals of the past, there’s a lot to consider before you decide if that’s the right option for you.

What makes this procedure complex? It involves microsurgery, in which the surgeon reconnects the vas deferens, the tubes that carry sperm from the testicle into the semen. This is a very delicate operation, which must be performed by a skilled surgeon, experienced in using a high-powered microscope to complete these surgeries. Here are some other things to think about before you decide on a vasectomy reversal.

• Know whether you’re a good candidate. The good news is that no matter how much time has passed since you had a vasectomy, you can still have a vasectomy reversal. A skilled surgeon with the right expertise can successfully reverse a vasectomy that was performed 15 or 20 years ago and, in some cases, even longer. If you’ve had other groin surgeries since, though, that could reduce your chances for a successful reversal. The among of tissue removed during your vasectomy also makes a difference in how the procedure is performed. If the vasectomy was straightforward and there’s enough tissue left for a successful reversal, the procedure that’s done is called a vasovasostomy. In this procedure, the surgeon sews together the severed ends of each tube. If a vasovasostomy can’t be done with a good chance of success, the doctor will opt for a vasoepididymostomy, in which the vas deferens is attached directly to the epididymis, the small organ at the back of the testicle that holds the sperm. In rare cases, a reversal is not possible, but that doesn’t mean there’s no possibility of reproductive success. Using another microscopic procedure, the surgeon can remove sperm from the epididymis for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
• Understand that there are some risks. In some cases, bleeding inside the scrotum can lead to a hematoma, a collection of blood that causes painful swelling. There’s also the risk of infection at the surgery site, but this is uncommon, as is persistent pain after the surgery. One thing that is not a risk of vasectomy reversal is sexual dysfunction. While this is a common concern, erectile function will not be damaged by this procedure.
• Keep your expectations realistic. While the success rates of vasectomy reversals are good, that doesn’t mean that a couple will conceive immediately. It can take time for sperm to return to ejaculate after the surgery, and while some couples achieve pregnancy within several weeks after the procedure, it can take up to one year for others.
• Choose a surgeon based on qualifications, not cost. Because of the nature of this surgery, it’s crucial that you find an experienced microsurgeon with good vasectomy reversal success rates. While you can sometimes find “low cost” vasectomies online, budget should not be your primary concern in such an important decision. Check your surgeon’s qualifications carefully before deciding on the person who will perform this intricate procedure.

If you decide a vasectomy reversal is right for you, depend on the experts at Center for Vasectomy Reversal. We pride ourselves on helping men improve their fertility through uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428.

Why You Should Choose Dr. Green to Perform Your Vasectomy Reversal

A vasectomy is a fairly simple outpatient procedure, completed in 10 to 30 minutes. A vasectomy reversal, on the other hand, is more complicated. Not all vasectomy reversals are the same, and it’s important to find a surgeon who knows how to choose the right surgery for you and is skilled in this kind of delicate microsurgical procedure. That’s why we encourage you to choose Dr. Joshua Green, an expert in microsurgery and male infertility.

Dr. Green is from Philadelphia, but he has lived in Florida for over 25 years. Since moving to Sarasota in 2000, he’s been in private practice, in partnership with five other urologists. Their practice performs not only vasectomies and vasectomy reversals, but also many other procedures, covering nearly all aspects of adult urology. Dr. Green has two offices for patient convenience, one in Sarasota and another near Lakewood Ranch. He has hospital privileges at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Doctors’ Hospital of Sarasota.

If you’re looking for a surgeon with impeccable credentials, look no further. Dr. Green is a Board-Certified member of the American Urologic Association and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, as well as maintaining membership in the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology. He’s also served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Having graduated with Honors from the prestigious Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Dr. Green completed further, rigorous training in General Surgery and Urology at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital. After his urology training, he underwent further training in microsurgery and vasectomy reversal through the American Urologic Association in Houston.

Since completing his training, Dr. Green has performed hundreds of microscopic infertility procedures, with an impressive success rate. These surgeries require meticulous surgical techniques and high-powered operating microscopes. In a vasectomy reversal, the sutures used are also microscopic- about 1/3^rd the diameter of human hair- and are used to create a multilayered reconnection of the vas deferens. Dr Green performs vasectomy reversals in an accredited surgery center in Sarasota, with a Board-Certified anesthesiologist involved in every case to ensure total comfort during the surgery.

His vast experience has allowed Dr. Green to finely tune his skills, but this is not the only thing that sets him apart in the field of infertility microsurgery. The level of patient care offered by the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is outstanding. Each patient receives Dr. Green’s personal cell phone number, and he and his staff are available to patients seven days a week.

How Vasectomy Reversal Procedures are Performed

Vasectomies are a common procedure for couples who have completed their families, in part because they’re a simpler procedure than a tubal ligation. Sometimes, however, men change their minds after they’ve had a vasectomy. It could be that the couple decides they want another child, or gets a divorce, but whatever the reason, it’s now possible for men to have their vasectomies successfully reversed. Vasectomy reversal, however, is a more complicated process.

The most common procedure to reverse a vasectomy is the vasovasostomy. This is a surgical reconnection of the vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm away from the testes. Generally, there’s a vas deferens on each side of the body, about the diameter of a strand of spaghetti, and these tubes are divided when a vasectomy is performed. Sperm production doesn’t stop after a vasectomy, but the sperm are no longer able to leave the body. A vasovasostomy allows ejaculation to occur again.

To perform a vasovasostomy, the surgeon makes a small incision in the scrotum. The vas deferens is isolated and dissected microscopically, divided above and below the obstruction caused by the vasectomy. The fluid from the testicle side is examined, and if it contains sperm, the surgeon reconnects the two ends of the vas deferens. This is done using multiple layers of micro suture and a powerful surgical microscope that magnifies the vas deferens to about 40 times its size. Once the vas is placed back into the normal position, a small drain is inserted in each side and the incision is closed with absorbable suture. The drains are removed the next day.

If there’s no sperm present in the fluid, the issue could be scar tissue that’s blocking the flow of sperm. If that’s the case, the surgeon may have to perform a more complicated procedure, called a vasoepididymostomy. There’s no way to know before surgery which procedure will be needed, so it’s important to find a surgeon capable of performing both. A vasoepididymostomy involves connecting the vas deferens to the epididymis. The longer it’s been since the vasectomy, the higher the possibility that a vasoepididymostomy will need to be performed.

The chances of a vasectomy reversal being successful are fairly high. If the vasectomy happened less than five years ago, there’s a greater than 95 percent chance that the ejaculate will contain sperm. Between five and ten years, it drops to about 90 percent, but even after ten years, the success rate is still between 80 and 90 percent. The chances of a successful pregnancy depend on several different factors, but with the help of a competent surgeon, many fertility issues can be overcome.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we pride ourselves on providing optimal surgical results and uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, contact us through our website or call 941-894-6428 for a free consultation.

Fun Things to Do Around Sarasota with Your Kids this Summer

Are you headed to the Gulf coast of Florida with your family this summer? Don’t miss out on all that Sarasota has to offer. Here, we offer some suggestions of fun things to do.

• Check out some marine life. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is both fun and educational, with all sorts of exhibits from coral reefs to sea jellies to river otter and alligators. You’ll enjoy seeing manatees and sea turtles, but the really exciting event happens Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11am, when the trainers feed the 135,000 gallon tankful of sharks.
• Have a jungle adventure. Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a family-owned local zoo, has 200 species, including parrots, snakes, lemurs, and alligators. Big Cat Habitat is an animal sanctuary that focuses on housing big cats like tigers and lions but also has non-cat species like bears, monkeys, sloths, foxes, wallabies, and more.
• Do some science. The Suncoast Science Center has a state-of-the-art lab with classes that allow school-aged kids to do experiments they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. The state-of-the-art equipment in the lab can help them with experiments that they wouldn’t be able to do at home.
• Stroll through a garden. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens cover 15 acres in the former home of Marie and William Selby. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, it’s got beautiful displays of vibrant flowers in exhibits like the Orchid Show, the Tropical Conservatory, or the Children’s Rainforest Garden.
• Visit a park. There are plenty of parks from which to choose in Sarasota, so pick one and have a ball with your family! Urfer Park has a playground, fitness equipment, hiking and biking trails and, if you go far enough in, wetlands and cows. Oscar Scherer State Park features hiking, camping, picnicking, rollerblading, snorkeling, paddling, and more. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest parks in Florida, and offers camping, bird watching, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.
• Visit a circus museum. Sarasota used to be the winter home of the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. Today, The Ringling is the official state art museum of Florida, with extensive grounds and a vast collection of artworks. There’s also the Circus Museum, where your kids will love exploring a collection that includes performer wardrobes, props wagons, and more.
• Walk through the trees. Have a fun adventure with your kids at TreeUmph, an elevated outdoor park nearby, in Bradenton. Swinging around in the park’s aerial courses, you’ll cross suspended bridges and do zip line courses with crazy obstacles.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love families, and we love helping people build their families! We pride ourselves on providing optimal surgical results and uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, call 941-894-6428 or contact us through our website.

How to Increase Male Fertility

If you and your partner are struggling to conceive a child, you’re not alone. About one in six couples struggles with infertility, and one in three cases is due to a problem with male fertility. There are some natural remedies you can try, though, that may boost your chances of conception.

• Load up your diet with healthy foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, focus on getting antioxidants and healthy fats. Limit your intake of saturated fats and red or processed meat. And be careful about eating soy, because it contains plant estrogen, which can reduce testosterone bonding and sperm production.

• Take your vitamins and minerals. Though the mechanism behind it is not completely understood, research indicates that vitamin D and calcium can impact sperm health. Vitamin C improves fertility by relieving oxidative stress in the body. Additionally, limited studies suggest folate and zinc can improve sperm concentration, count, and overall health.

• Quit smoking. Smoking is bad for every part of the body, so it should come as no surprise that it’s bad for your fertility. In fact, recent research indicates that smoking consistently reduces sperm count and people who smoked moderate or heavy amounts of tobacco had lower sperm quality than non-smokers or even light smokers.

• Watch the alcohol and drugs. Don’t drink to excess, don’t do any illegal drugs, and be mindful of your prescriptions. Some antibiotics, anti-androgens, anti-inflammatories, antipsychotics, opiates, antidepressants, anabolic steroids, supplementary testosterone, and methadone can all negatively affect your fertility. If you’re concerned about a medication you’re taking, talk to your doctor.

• Keep your cool. High temperatures can damage sperm, so if you’re trying to conceive don’t hold your laptop in your lap, wear tight underwear, or soak in hot tubs. Prolonged sitting and using car seat heaters can also cause overheating.

• Consider a supplement. Certain herbal supplements may be beneficial to fertility, including fenugreek, maca root, tribulus terrestris, and Indian ginseng. D-aspartic acid, a type of amino acid, may also be helpful.

• Reduce your exposure to environmental contaminants. Poor air quality and environmental toxins have been shown to decrease male fertility. Additionally, men in jobs with exposure to chemicals and overheating, like farmers, painters, varnishers, metalworkers, and welders, had higher incidences of infertility than other groups.

• Manage your stress. Stress raises cortisol levels, and cortisol lowers testosterone.

• Get some exercise and some sleep. For each, the key is to get just the right amount- not too little and not too much. Getting enough exercise and enough rest can improve your sperm count. It can also help you lose weight, which can improve your fertility.

If you’re struggling with infertility, call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, where we love helping people build their families! We pride ourselves on providing optimal surgical results and uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, call 941-894-6428 or contact us through our website.

Facts to Consider When Thinking About Having More Children

What’s the right number of children for a family to have? The average number of kids per family in the United States is around 1.8, but of course, some families have no children at all, while others have six or eight kids! There’s no right answer to the question, so how do you decide? Here are some things to consider.

• First, you have to decide if you actually want children at all. Many couples do not, and that’s a perfectly reasonable idea.
• If you have an only child, you’ll have more to give that child. You won’t have to divide your time among the siblings, and your only child will reap the benefits of being your sole focus. You’ll have more time, attention, and monetary resources.
• A house full of kids can be wonderful, too. Large families are boisterous and busy! Children learn early how to share resources and care for other people, and the sibling dynamic can be very rewarding.
• Whether you have one child or ten is entirely up to you. Don’t let other people make you feel bad for your choice. There are benefits and drawbacks to any family size, and only you and your partner can determine what’s best for you.
• Communication is very important when you’re deciding whether or not to have more kids. Make sure you know how your spouse feels about the issue so that neither of you feel stuck or ignored. Talk it through thoroughly, considering all the details of bringing another human into your life.
• Will your child be happy about a sibling? Will the child you already have adjust well to a sibling? Will the new arrival be greeted with excitement or jealousy? You can’t entirely predict how your child will react, but you know your child well enough to form a hypothesis about it. If you think it could get ugly, but you still want another baby, do some reading on helping siblings adjust.
• Your lifestyle changes with each new addition. If you already have a child, you know that the simplest thing, like going out to dinner, can become a surprisingly big ordeal. Are you ready and willing to double the demands placed on your time and attention?
• Can your budget handle another child? A recent government study placed the cost of child rearing somewhere between $12,000 and $13,000 annually. Make sure you can comfortably raise a new little one before you decide to have one.
• Ultimately, it’s about how you feel. Why do you want another child? How will you feel if you don’t expand your family? Once you can honestly answer those questions, you’re likely to know whether or not you should have another one.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping people build their families. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, call 941-894-6428 or contact us through our website.

Cost of Vasectomy Reversal

The technology involved in a vasectomy reversal has improved significantly over the past few decades. In fact, the surgical techniques used today are nothing short of miraculous. If you’ve had a vasectomy and now would like to start a family, you have a very good chance after undergoing vasectomy reversal. Still, the procedure can be cost-prohibitive, since most infertility procedures are not covered by insurance.

Dr. Green is an extremely skillful surgeon, and his vasectomy reversal results speak for themselves. He’s fine-tuned his skills over years of clinical practice, performing hundreds of vasectomy reversals. Every patient receives personalized care, and even receive Dr. Green’s personal cellphone number.

When you schedule a vasectomy reversal with us, a non-refundable fee of $1,000 is required to reserve the operating suite and high-powered microscope. If you need to reschedule, you can do so once at no charge, as long as it’s at least three weeks before your scheduled surgery date. To reschedule again, there will be an additional reservation fee, which will be applied to the total cost of the surgery.

The cost of a vasectomy reversal is $7,250.00. This includes our surgeon’s fee, surgery center, anesthesia, all consultations, and office visits. Once you’ve paid your initial fee, the balance is due one week prior to surgery. If Dr. Green determines that you require a vasoepididymostomy, no extra fee will be charged. We accept major credit cards, cash, and checks. We also offer a discount of $250 to active duty service members.

Dr. Green offers a payment plan option for those unable to pay the entire fee at once. With this plan, patients are still required to make the $1,000 deposit, and will pay a total of $7,500. $3,500 is due one week before the surgery, and the remainder is broken into six monthly payments of $500 each, beginning the month after the surgery.

If you’re traveling from out of town, many pre-operative details can be handled over the phone, online, or via mail or email. Dr. Green will meet with you before the surgery if it’s convenient, or will talk to you on the phone and meet you at the surgery center on the day of your procedure. You don’t have to stay in Sarasota, as long as you can be at the surgery center by 11:30 on your scheduled surgery day, you’ll be available for a post-operative appointment the next day, and you have someone to drive you home. If you do decide to stay in Sarasota, we’ve negotiated a discounted rate for our patients with the Hampton Inn Sarasota, across the street from the surgery center.

At the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we pride ourselves on providing optimal surgical results and uncompromising, concierge-level patient care. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, call 941-894-6428 or contact us through our website.

Benefits of Having Children Later in Life

Is your biological clock ticking? There’s a lot of press given to the scary aspects of waiting to build a family, like aging sperm, declining eggs, and the risks of pregnancy over age 35. Of course, it’s always important to talk to your doctor about your risks before you decide to try to conceive a child. However, there are actually some really great things about being an older parent.

• Science shows that having kid later in life may make you mentally sharper. One study showed that women who had their last child after age 35 had better verbal memory and cognition, and that women who didn’t start having kids until after age 24 were better problem solvers than those who had been younger when they became moms. Additionally, some research indicates that women who have children after age 33 are likely to live longer than those whose last child is born before they turn 30.
• Your child may be healthier if you’re an older parent. Recent research indicates that small children with older mothers tend to be healthier, with fewer accidental injuries as well as fewer social and emotional difficulties. One study even links longer lifespan with having an older father. While aging sperm can contribute to chromosomal abnormalities, this new research shows that it might also produce children with chromosomal traits linked to longevity that lasts two generations.
• Children of older parents are often smarter. Remember that study of small children of older moms that said they’re healthier? It also determined that they’re typically more advanced in their language skills. Research from both the U.K. and U.S. shows that kids born to older dads are more likely to have a high IQ and a stronger ability to focus on their interests. Less distracted by a desire to fit in socially, they’re more likely to be successful educationally, leading to a stronger socioeconomic status. And because older parents are likely to be better educated, their children are often more tech-savvy and well-educated.
• Waiting to have children may lead to more emotionally stable parenting. Many older parents feel that they’re more emotionally prepared for children than they were at a younger age, and research suggests that this is true. Because older parents have more life experience and maturity, they’re less likely to yell at or harshly punish their children.
• The financial stability that comes with being an older parent is helpful. A large body of research supports the idea that financial stability is linked to better health outcomes. There’s also significant evidence that children with more financially stable parents are likely to achieve a higher rate academic success.

At Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we love helping to create healthy, happy families. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other fertility concerns. To learn more, call 941-894-6428 or contact us through our website.