Vasectomy reversal: decision making and technical innovations

Vasectomy is the method of contraception chosen by more than 500,000 American men annually, and by upwards of 8% of married couples worldwide. However, following the procedure, nearly 20% of men express the desire for children in the future, and approximately 2-6% of American men will ultimately undergo vasectomy reversal (VR). VR is a complex microsurgical procedure. Intraoperative decision-making, surgical technique, and postoperative management are each critical step in achieving high success rates. The aim of this article is to provide a detailed description of the operative and perioperative procedures employed by surgeons performing VRs.