Our V wasn’t well thought out either, so we quickly reversed it.

It took me three cycles to get pg, although we didn’t ttc until a year after the VR.

He only had the V for seven months. (Note that the sooner one reverses a vasectomy, the more likely he’ll have a successful outcome. Reversing within the first three years after the V will yeild the best results.)

It cost us $7000 to reverse and no, it was not covered by insurance.

Recovery time is rather long, about 1 month. The pain from reversal only lasts around 5 days but because it is putting a delicate structure back together, one must be careful not to pull it apart or scar it shut. The vas deferens is only about as big around as a piece of raw spaghetti. So a guy with a reversal is asked to refrain from sex for at least 2 weeks after the reversal and he is asked not to exert himself for the first 4-6 weeks (eg don’t lift anything over 10 pounds, don’t run, etc.)

We all make mistakes in life. There is nothing wrong with correcting a mistake or unwise choice if it’s within your power to do so.

A Vasectomy Reversal is a challenging surgery where the scarred ends of the vas are microsurgically reconnected in multiple layers under a high-powered surgical microscope. This allows sperm to flow again through the vas. An estimated 30,000 to 40,000 or more men each year change their minds and want to restore their fertility with a reversal. Regardless of how many years have passed since the vasectomy, microsurgical vasectomy reversal in the hands of an experienced microsurgeon is proven to be the most logical and least expensive way to achieve pregnancy. A reversal is an outpatient procedure that does not require hospitalization or overnight stay! This 21/2 to 3 hour surgery is considered one of the most technically challenging in all of medicine.

RESULTS: The overall patency rate was 86% and pregnancy rates were 33% and 53% at 1 and 2 years after primary VV, respectively. Preoperative factors associated with successful outcome and pregnancy included shorter obstructive interval and same female partner (p < 0.05). Intraoperative factors predicting success included the use of surgical clips instead of suture at vasectomy, the presence of a sperm granuloma, the presence and quality of vasal fluid, and the presence and quality of sperm in vasal fluid. Further, increased AG in the postoperative semen predicted improved patency and pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the effectiveness of VV for vasectomized men who wish to father children. It also demonstrates that preoperative and intraoperative factors are predictive of the VV outcome. Postoperative AG is also a useful marker of patency and it appears to predict pregnancy outcome. Can Urol Assoc J. 2007 Nov;1(4):388-94.

The growing popularity of vasectomy as a primary form of birth control has also created an increasing demand for vasectomy reversal (VR). The advent of IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection after sperm retrieval has given couples an alternative to traditional VR. Although VR remains the most cost-effective and natural way to conceive after vasectomy, competing interests and market pressures have encouraged the development of this assisted reproductive technique (ART). The success of VR is dependent on several variables. The length of time since vasectomy and an individual surgeon’s experience appear to be the most significant factors and are equally important. The success of this procedure is highly contingent on adherence to strict surgical principles of creating a water-tight, tension-free anastomosis, along with the appropriate decision whether to perform either a vasovasostomy or epididymovasostomy at the time of VR.
Can J Urol. 2006 Feb;13 Suppl 1:22-7.

After vasovasostomy in patients with a vasal obstructive interval of 7 years, up to 45% of couples may achieve pregnancy and up to 35% could go on to conceive a second child. Long-term anastomosis patency after the procedure is estimated to be approximately 60%. Maternal age is a significant factor in predicting a couple’s success in conceiving a child. Vasovasostomy remains a highly effective option for restoration of fertility in vasectomy patients, while offering the opportunity for multiple pregnancies with only a single intervention.
Curr Surg. 2003 May-Jun;60(3):348-50