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  • How Does Age Affect Vasectomy Reversal Success Rates?

    There are many factors that can influence the success of vasectomy reversals, from overall health to the length of the time between the original vasectomy and the reversal procedure. One factor that many prospective vasectomy reversal patients have questions about is age. Does age affect the success of vasectomy reversals? Here is what you need to know.

    Age is less of a factor than time since the procedure.

    Many men who are interested in vasectomy reversals are older, having changed their minds after having a vasectomy when they were young. Age is less of a determinant of how successful a vasectomy reversal will be than the time between the original procedure and the reversal surgery. An older man whose vasectomy is more recent is likely to have fewer concerns about the success of his reversal than a younger man whose vasectomy was many years before.

    Age-related health concerns can be a factor.

    Although age itself is not a significant factor in vasectomy reversal success rates, some age-related health complications can impact how successful the procedure is. Some of the health issues that occur in older men can make it unsafe to have surgery or can interfere with healing and the overall success of the procedure. Your vasectomy reversal surgeon will review your health history with you before your procedure to make sure it is safe for you to have anesthesia and that you are a good candidate for surgery.

    Age can affect the quality of sperm.

    A vasectomy reversal can be successful while other infertility issues still persist. Although age is a much bigger factor in fertility in women than men, age can still impact the quality of sperm, which in turn can make it harder to successfully achieve a pregnancy. Additional infertility treatments may be necessary.

    Before your surgery at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, Dr. Green will review the procedure with you and help you understand all of the factors that can influence the success of the reversal. Schedule an appointment for a vasectomy reversal consultation in Sarasota by calling (941) 894-6428.

  • What to Expect Before and After Your Vasectomy Reversal

    A vasectomy reversal is a safe procedure for most patients and involves a relatively fast recovery. By preparing for your procedure and recovery before your surgery, you can ensure that you can get back to your normal life as quickly as possible. Your vasectomy reversal surgeon will tell you what you need to do to get ready for surgery and what you can expect during your recovery. This information will also help you as you get ready for your vasectomy reversal surgery.

    Before Your Vasectomy Reversal

    Before your procedure, you will have a consultation with your vasectomy reversal surgeon. He or she will review your health history and talk about what you can expect from your surgery. You will likely need to have to blood work performed to ensure that it is safe for you to have surgery. Your surgeon will also perform a physical exam. He or she may check to see if you are producing healthy sperm so that you know that you don’t have other infertility issues before your surgery. If you already have children, your surgeon may assume that you have healthy sperm. If you have never fathered a child, you may need additional testing.

    After Your Vasectomy Reversal

    Most vasectomy reversals are performed on an outpatient basis, which means that you will go home the same day as your procedure. You will need someone to drive you home from the surgery center. You are likely to feel sore. Ice will help, as well as pain medications recommended by your surgeon. You will need to wear an athletic supporter for several weeks as you heal. Men who work at desk jobs can usually return to work within a few days but should limit physical labor as well as most exercise for up to four weeks. You should also refrain from having sexual intercourse until your surgeon says it is safe. About six weeks after surgery, your surgeon will begin periodically checking your semen for sperm to determine if the procedure is successful.

    Start the process of seeing a vasectomy reversal by calling the Center for Vasectomy Reversal to schedule a consultation. Make an appointment with Dr. Green in Sarasota by calling (941) 894-6428.

  • What’s Assisted Hatching?

    Medical technology is getting better with each passing year. One of the more recent developments in assisted reproduction is assisted hatching. This technique may be used during some in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. If you or your partner has recently had a vasectomy reversal with sperm aspiration, consider talking to the fertility doctor about whether you could benefit from assisted hatching. 

    The Basics of Assisted Hatching 

    As an embryo develops during its initial stages, it’s surrounded by a layer of proteins. This layer is called the zona pellicuda. An embryo can only successfully implant onto the uterine wall if it’s able to “hatch” out of the zona pellicuda. Assisted hatching is a technique that helps the embryo succeed in doing this. 

    An In-Depth Look at Assisted Hatching 

    This technique was developed when fertility specialists noticed that embryos with a thin zona pellicuda were more likely to implant to the uterine wall during an IVF cycle. If a couple is a good candidate for assisted hatching, the technique will be performed on the fourth day of development. At this time, the embryo contains about six to eight cells. Here’s a look at the step-by-step procedure for assisted hatching: 

    • The embryo is placed under a microscope, stabilized by a pipette.  
    • Another small pipette is used to introduce an acidified solution to the zona pellicuda to puncture a very small hole in the layer.  
    • The embryo is rinsed to remove any lingering acidified solution and then returned to the incubator.  
    • A few hours later, the embryo is ready for the transfer into the uterus. 

    The Typical Candidates for Assisted Hatching 

    Assisted hatching isn’t recommended for all couples. It’s generally recommended when a woman has failed to get pregnant after going through one or more IVF cycles, or when she has a poor prognosis of conceiving. Women who are of advanced maternal age, for instance, may be good candidates for assisted hatching.  

    Over the years, Dr. Joshua Green has performed hundreds of vasectomy reversal surgeries and other male infertility procedures, including sperm aspiration. Bring your questions to your consult, as we pride ourselves on exceptional patient education and guidance. Call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal in Sarasota at (941) 894-6428. 

  • Spotlight on Sperm Function Testing

    Couples who are experiencing male infertility may have sperm function testing done, particularly if the male partner had a vasectomy reversal surgery. Sperm function testing is similar to semen analysis, but they aren’t quite the same test. A sperm function test will help the male infertility specialist develop a customized treatment plan that can help the couple achieve pregnancy. 

    First, the man must provide a sample of semen, which is examined in a laboratory. The lab technician will examine many aspects of the medical sample, including the total semen volume and the sperm density. The sperm density refers to the number of sperm present in the semen. A typical density is greater than 20 million sperm for each milliliter of semen. The lab technician will also examine the sperm motility (how well it moves), sperm morphology (shape of the sperm), and the presence of white blood cells. High amounts of white blood cells may indicate that an infection or inflammation could be affecting the sperm. 

    Dr. Joshua Green has helped countless couples overcome male infertility caused by vasectomies. Call the Center for Vasectomy Reversal in Sarasota at (941) 894-6428 to discuss your options, which may include sperm aspiration. 

  • Are Vasectomies Really Permanent?

    A vasectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the severing of the vas deferens, which is the structure that transports sperm along the male reproductive tract. With the vas deferens severed, sperm will no longer be present in the man’s semen. Men who are thinking about getting a vasectomy should always consider it to be a permanent form of birth control. 

    However, as you’ll learn when you watch this video, vasectomies can be reversed. And in fact, the success rate of vasectomy reversals is quite high, especially when there is a relatively short period of time between the two surgeries. The infertility specialist featured in this video also discusses some other factors that can affect a successful pregnancy. 

    Dr. Green of the Center for Vasectomy Reversal invites couples to explore the possibilities with infertility procedures in our Sarasota clinic. Call (941) 894-6428 to request a confidential consultation. 

  • The Best Ways for Guys to Get Involved During the Pregnancy

    You and your partner are finally expecting a baby after dealing with male infertility. Congratulations! If you’re like most older dads who undergo vasectomy reversal, you’re looking forward to being a hands-on, involved dad in your kid’s life. But you might feel a little lost during the pregnancy itself. After all, she’s the one doing the hard work of carrying the baby, right? Actually, there are still plenty of ways expecting dads can get involved during the pregnancy—and she’ll definitely appreciate your efforts! 

    Take charge of the household upkeep. 

    Cleaning is hard, physical work, and as your partner’s pregnancy progresses, her body might not be up to it anymore. Growing a baby is exhausting work, and she needs to rest as much as possible. Plus, trying to push a vacuum with a belly bump in the way can be tricky. Additionally, many women become nauseated at the smell of cleaning products (some of which may be toxic). Help her out by taking over some of the cleaning responsibilities, switching to nontoxic cleaners, and hiring a maid as needed. Note that if you have a cat, you’ll definitely need to clean the litter box. Pregnant women must avoid this task, due to the risk of toxoplasmosis. 

    Ease your partner’s aches and pains. 

    The changes associated with pregnancy can hurt. Your partner will almost certainly experience an aching back and sore, swollen feet. When she gets home from work, she’ll probably want nothing more than to kick back on the couch and relax. So surprise her by giving her a foot rub and back massage.  

    Be active in the baby prep process. 

    Planning for a baby’s arrival is practically a full-time job in itself. Be active in the planning process by researching the safest car seats, cribs, and baby bottles. Paint the nursery on a day when she isn’t home to spare her from the fumes. Assemble the crib as soon as you bring it home so she doesn’t have to worry about asking you to do it. And don’t skip those parenting classes and doctor’s appointments!  

    Here at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, we’re immensely proud of the beautiful babies we’ve helped couples conceive over the years. Our vasectomy reversal surgeon in Sarasota looks forward to meeting you and your partner and helping you make an informed decision about the surgery. Call (941) 894-6428 to request your consultation with Dr. Joshua Green. 

  • Here’s Why You Can’t Eat or Drink Before Surgery

    With vasectomy reversal and other surgeries, it’s common to receive instructions not to eat or drink anything for a period of 8-12 hours before your surgery—including just a few sips of water. While it can be somewhat frustrating to follow this rule, the reason your doctor makes this recommendation is important.

    When you are under general anesthesia or a twilight sedative, your body will not aspirate, or clear the airway of a blockage caused by saliva or food or liquids you’ve consumed. When you have food in your stomach, the risk of a blockage is higher, and you may choke during the surgery. Additionally, there may be significant post-surgical nausea if you go into surgery without an empty stomach, and that’s a complication that’s easier to prevent than it is to treat.

    When you schedule your vasectomy reversal surgery with Dr. Joshua Green at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal, you can expect the highest quality of care within our state-of-the-art operating room as well as dedicated attention during your surgical consults and follow-up visits. To learn more about undergoing vasectomy reversal in Sarasota, FL, give us a call at (941) 894-6428.

  • What to Know about Post-Op Scrotal Swelling

    Vasectomy reversal is performed using microsurgical techniques that are minimally-invasive, so they cause less trauma to the body and facilitate a faster, easier recovery. In fact, vasectomy reversals are most often performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you won’t even need to spend a full day in the hospital following your surgery. There are, however, still some side effects of surgery to consider, and the most prevalent and perhaps uncomfortable will be scrotal swelling. Swelling is a healing response in the body, so it’s a natural part of surgical recovery and shouldn’t cause alarm after your vasectomy reversal .

    Swelling is the most common side effect of surgery.

    Most men will experience post-op swelling in the scrotum, which may be mild or quite substantial. Generally, even significant swelling is not a sign of any problems. It is simply a natural part of the body’s healing process and will subside within a few days.

    Swelling should not be accompanied by severe pain or bruising .

    Some mild pain and bruising are normal, but when pain begins to feel intolerable or bruising is widespread, it is important to call your surgeon and discuss these symptoms. This is especially true if you are experiencing severe swelling with intense pain.

    A cold compress will offer the most relief.

    To control swelling, the best thing to do is take it easy and rest for the first full day after surgery while using a cold compress. Apply the cold compress to the scrotal area for about 20 minutes, and then wait about 40 minutes before the next application.

    For expertise in vasectomy reversal, you can count on Dr. Joshua Green at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal in Sarasota. Not in Florida? No problem! We treat a high volume of out of town patients , often only requiring 2-3 days to complete the surgery and follow-up care. For more information about our services, give us a call at (941) 894-6428.

  • ICSI: Your Step-By-Step Overview

    While vasectomy reversal is the most common procedure to restore fertility for men who have undergone a vasectomy, there are circumstances where it makes sense to consider other surgical alternatives, such as sperm aspiration. With sperm aspiration, sperm is directly obtained from the epididymis through a needle guided by an operating microscope. This is actually the first step in ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which is paired with IVF, or in-vitro fertilization. This video shows you a complete look at the ICSI procedure, which may play a role in your family planning if your partner is also experiencing fertility issues.

    If you want to weigh the pros and cons of vasectomy reversal and ICSI, Dr. Green at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal can help you make your decision. You can schedule a vasectomy reversal consultation with us in Sarasota by calling (941) 894-6428, or visit our website to learn more.

  • Can Eating Disorders Cause Male Infertility?

    Both eating disorders and infertility in men are underrecognized, yet common health concerns; incidentally, the two can go hand in hand. Eating disorders can cause lasting damage to the body and may result in infertility in men. Often, eating disorders are only associated with women, but men account for about 5-15% of anorexia and bulimia cases and 35% of binge eating disorder cases. Additionally, because these numbers are only based on reported cases, they may actually be higher—many men will suffer in silence with eating disorders. For any man struggling with an eating disorder, seeking treatment is important for many reasons, including the preservation of future fertility. Continue reading to gain a better understanding of how eating disorders can be a cause of male infertility .

    Weight Changes and Sperm Quality

    Being over- or underweight can have an impact on sperm count as well as sperm motility and overall sperm quality. With anorexia nervosa, men may be dangerously below a healthy weight range, and they might also utilize risky solutions to continue battling body fat, such as diet pills, which can cause further harm to sperm count and quality.

    Risks of Over-Exercising

    Along with undereating or uncontrollable binge eating, eating disorders may lead to over-exercising, which can further diminish sperm count due to the consistently higher temperature of the testes during exercise.

    Potential Nutritional Deprivation

    Even with binge eating disorder, which is characterized by binging sessions where someone will consume large quantities of food in a single sitting, malnourishment is common. That’s because the body is not getting the balanced diet it needs to stay healthy, and decreased sperm production may be one of the consequences of that nutritional deprivation.

    Dr. Joshua Green at the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is dedicated to providing resources for men struggling with infertility, including those who are looking for vasectomy reversal procedures in Sarasota. To learn more about our practice , give us a call at (941) 894-6428 or visit our website.