ABSTRACT
Preoperative discussion both with the patient and with any partner is of utmost importance. The main considerations are as follows.
Vasectomy is irreversible. The patient must be sure that he wants no further children.
Sterilisation is not immediate. The store of sperm must be exhausted first, which takes 2–3 months. When two postoperative counts performed at 3 months and 4 months are negative it is safe to consider the patient sterile. Until this time the couple should continue to use other contraceptive precautions.
Recanalisation can occur. This restores fertility unpredictably and occurs in 1 to 2 in 1000 cases.
Reversal of a vasectomy. This can be attempted in the first 5 years but may not restore fertility, due to the production of autoantibodies against the sperm.
