So you’ve done your research. You’ve decided that your family is complete and that you want to take responsibility for your couple’s contraception. Thankfully you’ve picked VasectomyNI to have your procedure, which is Northern Ireland’s leading minimally invasive vasectomy Clinic. Our admin team will have made the process of booking seamless and you will have been given a date and time to attend Carryduff surgery to have your procedure.
You are understandably anxious but are reassured that this is a small operation that should take no more than 30 minutes. You’re asking yourself. What should I expect on the day?
Arrival
You should aim to arrive about 15 minutes before your appointment time. In order to ensure that you don’t feel rushed, give yourself plenty of time to find us. We are based at the Carryduff GP surgery just outside Belfast. There is a pharmacy right next door where you can pick up paracetamol if required. There is plenty of parking right outside the door. You should arrange a lift to the clinic if possible.
When you arrive, you need to let reception know that you are here. They will run through a final few checks such as your address and date of birth. We will have this information already but it is important to ensure we have the right details. Dr Quinn will have reviewed the pre-op questionnaire that you will have submitted. If there is anything of importance or you are required to stop any medication, he will contact you before the day of your surgery.
Before the operation
Dr Quinn will call you from the waiting room into the consultation room. The purpose of this is for him to meet you and then go through the consent process. The consent process takes about 10 minutes. During this time, Dr Quinn will explain the various risks associated with vasectomy and allow you the opportunity to ask any questions.
It is normal to feel nervous at this point. Dr Quinn will reassure you that this is normal. Dr Quinn has many years of experience in providing vasectomy services. He has an interest in helping nervous patients. Given his years of experience, he is often asked to do vasectomies on patients who may be more difficult and less experienced vasectomy surgeons may be less confident in performing. He has a high success rate and receives resounding positive feedback on patient satisfaction questionnaires.
When the pre-op counselling is complete Dr Quinn will bring your to the operation suite. You will meet your nurse who will help you get changed and onto the operation table.
Operation
Vasectomies at our clinic are carried out using the minimally invasive technique. This is the worldwide standard now for community vasectomy services. It has a lower complication rate and faster recovery time and does not require a general anaesthetic. Essentially you can walk in and out in 45 minutes.
Dr Quinn will clean and prepare the scrotum. He will apply a small amount of anaesthetic to the tubes. You will feel pressure and occasionally a small amount of discomfort at this point. The anaesthetic works very quickly and you will be numb almost immediately.
At this stage, you will hopefully be more relaxed. Dr Quinn and the nurse assistant will be talking to you the whole time. Dr Quinn will make a small incision in the front of the scrotum to deliver the Vas Deferens (the tubes that carry the sperm). They will be divided and cauterised using electrocautery (electrical current). There will be beeping funny noises but this is all normal. There can be the occasional feeling of discomfort but it should be very bearable. If you feel any pain, more anaesthetic will be applied, so please don’t worry.
After about 10-15 minutes the procedure will be over. There are no stitches and a small dry dressing is applied over the wound. The wound will be barely noticeable and heal in the next week.
After the operation
The relief! It’s all over and you can’t believe that it was so straightforward. Dr Quinn will clear away the surgical instruments and our Nurse will help you off the operation table and you will get dressed. You will not feel anything and will still be numb from the anaesthetic.
Dr Quinn will give you written post-op instructions. He will talk to you about the operation and anything he thinks you should know. You will be advised to expect a bit of tenderness and swelling for at least a few days and up to a week after the procedure. You will also be asked to apply an ice pack over your shorts that evening to help reduce any bruising or swelling. Remember, you are not sterile yet and need to wait at least 4 months to undergo a semen analysis. You may be asked to provide a further sample at 7 months. This is posted to your home address and will happen automatically. Please continue to use contraception until you have done this and be advised by the clinic you can stop using contraception.
When you are feeling well, you will be able to return to the waiting room. Dr Quinn will reassure you that you can contact VasectomyNI at any time after your procedure if you have any questions or concerns. We ask patients to wait about 15 minutes in the waiting room to ensure they are feeling well before leaving the clinic. Hopefully, the process has been stress-free!
If you live in Northern Ireland and are thinking of booking a vasectomy near Belfast. Please contact vasectomy NI based in our Carryduff clinic. You can fill in the contact form on our website or contact info@vasectomyNI.co.uk.
Vasectomy NI