Frequently Asked Questions

The no-scalpel vasectomy is a procedure first introduced to the United States in 1985. Although the end result is the same, the No-Scalpel, No-Needle approach differs significantly from the older more traditional method in terms of being less invasive and lesser risk of post procedure issues.

"No-needle" refers to the way anesthesia is given. The doctor uses a special spray device rather than needle injections to numb the vas, which causes less discomfort.

A traditional vasectomy involves the use of a scalpel to make two incisions in the skin of the scrotum (as opposed to a single small skin puncture with the no-scalpel approach). This requires more anesthesia (needle sticks) and the risks of infection and bleeding are higher.

Most men feel little, if any, pain with a no-scalpel vasectomy. There is mild discomfort with the application of anesthesia. You may experience a slight tugging sensation during the procedure. The effects of the anesthesia will last for almost an hour and this will allow you time to go home, lie down and apply an ice pack. Advil(ibuprofen) or Aleve(naproxen) will be all that you require later for inflammation and pain relief. There will be a small amount of swelling and bruising that may last for seven to ten days. We DO NOT prescribe narcotics in the clinic for routine vasectomies unless there are rare post procedure issues.

The no-scalpel, no-needle vasectomy will be performed by one of our board certified doctors who have had years of experience in the no-scalpel approach. An initial in-person consult is not generally required as we do send you a online video explaining the process and we answer all your questions, via email or phone, prior to performing the procedure on the day your scheduled. However, we DO offer consultation appointments to those who would like to meet their surgeon and go over the procedure details prior to the date of the procedure. Please let our appointment desk know your preference when you call to make an appointment.

We recommend that you remain sedentary for 2-3 days following your vasectomy. You should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for one week. Most men who have the procedure on a Friday or Saturday will be back to light work on Monday.

A vasectomy is faster, cheaper and, most importantly, safer than a tubal ligation. Unlike a vasectomy, a tubal ligation requires general or regional anesthesia, a day-surgery setting, and is performed inside the abdominal cavity. Because it is a more complicated procedure, a tubal ligation carries greater health risks and has a longer recovery period than a vasectomy. Testing the effectiveness of the birth control can also be harder for a tubal ligation.

No. Sperm will remain "downstream" within the vas deferens for several months. It will take about 20-30 ejaculations or more to evacuate the vas deferens of sperm and, it is important that you and your partner continue another form of birth control until the system has cleared. In some instances, you can clear earlier, however, we found majority truly clear in 12 weeks.

Yes, in some cases the no needle technique does not penetrate as deeply as we would like and we find it necessary to add an additional amount of anesthesia using a syringe and tiny needle. This is referred to as after-loading. Since the skin has already been numbed with the spray, it is unusual for patients to feel any discomfort.

You will be given a specimen container before you leave the clinic. Approximately 12 weeks (and after about 20 ejaculations) after your vasectomy, you will be asked to bring in your first sample. We highly recommend you continue some other form of birth control until we are able to confirm success of the procedure through your semen analysis.

If you prefer to mail us your sample, you may ask the front desk for a mailer for a nominal fee.

No aspirin or aspirin containing products for 7-10 days prior to your vasectomy. If posssible avoid anti-inflammatory products for 7 days prior to your vasectomy which include ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve). Please inform our team if you have been on this medications so that we may be aware and make special considerations prior to your procedure. You may take acetaminophen (Tylenol) at anytime.

As with any surgery, regardless of how minor, there are risks of bleeding, chronic pain, failure, and infection. This is exceedingly rare with the no-scalpel approach and occurs less than 1 in 2,000 patients. Occasionally, tender swelling at the end of the vas may occur. This is called a sperm granuloma. In most cases no treatment is required.

This is called recanalization and occurs in less than 1 per 2,000 patients. This rare complication means that you are NOT sterile and can be diagnosed by the presence of sperm in the post-vasectomy specimens.

Vasectomies were first performed in the U.S. during the late 1930s. Many studies have since looked at the lasting health effects and found almost no long-term health risks associated with vasectomy. In 1993, a panel assembled by the National Institutes of Health reaffirmed the conclusion of most medical experts that vasectomy is safe.

The studies show that a vasectomy will have no effect on your erections, sex drive (libido), hormone levels or performance in any way. Some people feel intercourse is more spontaneous when there is no fear of unwanted pregnancy.

In most cases the vasectomy can be surgically reversed. The success rate depends on the number of years that have passed from the time of your vasectomy to the time of the reversal. The procedure is quite expensive and requires several hours of micro-surgery. A vasectomy should be considered permanent sterilization. Currently, we do not offer vasectomy reversals in our clinic.

Most patients can resume intercourse one week following their vasectomy. You must continue to use some form of effective birth control until  post-surgical semen test show that no sperm is present.

Yes. For more information regarding cryo-preservation of sperm call the Seattle Sperm Bank at (206) 588-1484. 

This, of course, depends on your individual health care plan. In most cases a basic health care plan does cover elective sterilization. We recommend calling your insurance provider to see if they do cover the procedure and what deductible/co-pay you may be responsible for. (Procedure code CPT: 55250, 99203; Vasectomy with diagnosis code: Z30.2)

We do accept most insurances. We also accept payments from HSA/ HRA/ FSA accounts. We do offer significant discounts to patients who are uninsured and paying out-of-pocket for their procedure. We believe in providing a wide access to our services.

The total cost of the procedure package is $1576 for insured patients. For uninsured patients or paying out-of-pocket, the discounted cost is $1200. We do offer easy payment plans. Please call the clinic at (425) 3940773 for further details.

Remember, we do charge a $100 cancelllation fee if your appointment is cancelled 48 hours prior to said appointment. We do incur expenses preparing the materials, reserving the time, and staff needed for the day. 

For your convenience we have two locations to choose from, Shoreline and Issaquah. Each is strategically placed so that it is an easy drive from Tacoma, Bellevue, Redmond, Sammamish, Everett or Snohomish.