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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffVasectomy reversal rarely leads to serious complications. Risks include:
- Bleeding within the scrotum. This can lead to a collection of blood (hematoma) that causes painful swelling. You can reduce the risk of hematoma by following your doctor's instructions to rest after surgery. Ask your doctor if you need to avoid aspirin or other types of blood-thinning medication before and after surgery.
- Infection at the surgery site. This isn't common, but it is a risk with any surgery.
- Sperm granuloma. Sperm leaking into the scrotum can prompt your immune system to form an inflamed mass called a sperm granuloma. Granulomas usually occur awhile after surgery and can be a sign that a vasectomy reversal wasn't successful.
- Chronic pain. A minority of men have pain in the testicle area (scrotal pain) after vasectomy reversal.
- Fluid buildup (hydrocele). Fluid buildup around the testicle can cause swelling. A hydrocele may go away on its own, but in some cases it needs to be removed with a needle or through surgery.
Call your doctor if you develop any of these signs and symptoms after a vasectomy reversal:
- Fever
- Swelling that worsens or won't go down
- Difficult urination
- A marble-sized lump in your scrotum
- Bleeding from an incision that won't stop
References
- Lipshultz LI, et al. Surgical management of male infertility. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50022-4&isbn=978-0-7216-0798-6&sid=1092403583&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50022-4&uniqId=229285861-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50022-4. Accessed Dec. 6, 2010.
- Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Vasectomy reversal. Fertility and Sterility. 2008;90(suppl):S78.
- Vasectomy reversal. UrologyHealth.Org. http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=11&topic=154. Accessed Dec 6, 2010.
- Lipshultz LI, et al. Techniques for vasectomy reversal. Urologic Clinics of North America. 2009;36:375.
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