Next to cost, pain is one of the most common things asked by patients wanting to undergo vasectomy reversal. This concern is understandable; the reversal procedure is tricky and may require enhanced skills from the doctor and microsurgery is often conducted. The intent of the procedure is to re-connect the vas deferens so that these can once again carry the sperm. From this basic description of the operation, it should not come as a surprise to find some men inquiring about the degree of pain associated with the operation. The good news is that the degree of pain is not that high, thanks to a collection of anesthesia used for the operation. And to put one’s mind at ease, one suggestion is to ask the physician about the kind of anesthesia to be used.

Between local and general anesthesia

There are two general kinds of anesthesia that is used for this kind of procedure. The first option is the local anesthesia, and the second one is the regional anesthesia.

Local anesthesia usually refers to that medical technique that allows a part of the body to be insensitive to pain, yet the patient has consciousness of what’s happening. Under this kind of technique, the patient feels a small amount of pain while undergoing a procedure. And for vasectomy reversal, this is the chosen mode for anesthesia for a number of reasons:

1. Local anesthesia is associated to less medical costs
2. Local anesthesia has fewer side effects and;
3. Local anesthesia calls for quick recovery of the patient.

There are a number of advantages as well that point to the superiority of local anesthesia. In a study initiated by the Vasovasostomy Study Group, it found out that the success rate is higher for those patients who were made to undergo the operation using the local anesthesia. On that seminal work, it found out 86 percent of those who underwent procedure under local reports the presence of semen. Contrast this with those under regional where only 85 percent reported the presence of semen. Also, the percentage of men under local anesthesia promoting pregnancy to their wives was recorded to be 1 percent higher than regional. The difference may be minimal, but this clearly underlines the advantage of local anesthesia on this count.

When under local anesthesia, the patient can expect that initial pain in the form of ‘pinching’. But a few minutes after the injection, the operation gets comfortable. Another good thing working about the local anesthesia for vasectomy reversal is that this is considered safe and effective for use.

The other option is through general anesthesia. During the operation, the patient is completely unaware of the situation. This is popular for those patients wanting to be free from the pain associated with vasectomy reversal. Another reason why this is chosen by some patients is that this offers the least interruption for the patient during the procedure. In between this two, is a regional anesthesia that numbs the patient from waist down.

Both kinds of anesthesia work in vasectomy reversal. And often the choice in the end can be traced to personal preferences. Would you want to be partially awake during the operation, or would you like to be fully asleep and would not want to feel any pain associated with the reversal?

Author Bio: Seomul Evans is a Internet Marketing consultant for Vasectomy Reversal and a contributor for a leading blog about Reversing Vasectomy blog.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Health, Medical, Vasectomy, Vasectomy Reversal, Infertility, men\\\’s health