No Scalpel Vasectomy Introduction

No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV) and "conventional" or "scalpel" vasectomy achieves the same result – male sterilization. In most cases the man undergoes the procedure as a desirable outcome for birth control between couples. During the no-scalpel vasectomy surgery accessing the vas tubes (vas deferens) is accomplished without use of a scalpel.

» Define vas deferens / vas tubes

No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV) is a simple, gentle and elegant office procedure that many studies show has significant advantages over conventional vasectomies. NSV is comparatively faster, has a swifter recovery time, is safer (one eighth the rate of bleeding and infection) and can be virtually pain free. Some doctors even promote the term gentle vasectomy.

No-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) was developed in China in 1974 by Dr. Li Shunqiang. By 1985, an international team made of members from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Access to Voluntary and Safe Contraception (AVSC), formerly the Association for Voluntary Surgical Contraception, were visiting China to study alternative vasectomy procedures including the no scalpel method.

In 1988, after careful observation and review of the no-scalpel vasectomy procedure, they decided to introduce the technique to North America. Since then, over 1,000,000 no-scalpel vasectomies have been performed in North America and nearly 20,000,000 in China, and the numbers around the world are growing.

With this new approach there is no knife, no cutting incision and no stitches. Men who have undergone no-scalpel vasectomy express amazement at the minimal physical discomfort they experienced both during the procedure and during recovery.

Men who were previously not considering vasectomy because they feared the scalpel can now feel comfortable, relaxed and confident with this simple procedure.

See Diagram illustration of NSV and The no-scalpel vasectomy procedure.

Vasectomy Doctors Experience Wins

There is no substitute for experience. Although numerous studies show a lower complication rate for no-scalpel vasectomy when compared to conventional vasectomies, this should not be the deciding factor.

Many highly experienced doctors who perform conventional vasectomy obtain far better results with lower complication rates than those inexperienced doctors who perform no-scalpel vasectomy.

This is why no matter what approach you may choose, you will always want to get answers to the following key questions regarding your doctor's level of experience.

• The number of no-scalpel procedures your doctor does per year.
• The total number he has done in his career to date.
• The no-scalpel complication rate your doctor has experienced performing the procedure, i.e., the rate of infection in his patients, the rate of major bleeding, the rate of procedure failure.

Keep in mind that a vasectomy or no-scalpel vasectomy, if performed by experienced hands, is a simple and safe procedure that is better than 99% effective as a male birth control method.