conventional vasectomy
The conventional method is a surgical procedure that involves small incisions made on each side of a man's scrotum. The tube, called the vas deferens, leading from each testicle is cut and sealed in order to stop sperm from reaching the prostate, where it mixes with the semen. Without sperm in the semen, a man cannot make his partner pregnant.
"no-scalpel" or "nonsurgical" vasectomy
In the no-scalpel method, rather than making an incision, the physician makes only one tiny puncture into the skin with a special instrument. This same instrument is used to gently stretch the skin opening so that the tubes can be reached easily.
The tubes are then blocked, using the same method as in conventional vasectomy. Because no incision was made, there is little bleeding and no stitches are needed to close the tiny opening. The opening will heal quickly with little or no scarring.
Although a man can usually resume sexual activity soon after vasectomy, precautions should be taken against pregnancy until a test shows that his semen is free of sperm.
A vasectomy procedure only blocks the vas deferens at the point where it was sealed. The vasectomy has no effect on sperm that are already beyond that point. Therefore, it is important to not have unprotected sexual intercourse until the absence of sperm from the ejaculate has been confirmed with two negative sperm checks, four to six weeks apart. Generally, the test is first performed after the patient has had 10 to 20 post-vasectomy ejaculations.