Abstract

PIP: Vas occlusion and vasectomy for contraception were compared in a trial with 79 patients, median age 36. Operation time, consumption of analgesics in the 1st postoperative week, and postoperative complications including wound infection, hematoma, and epididymitis were recorded. Sperm counts were performed monthly and in all patients a final sperm count was requested after 6 months. 77 patients became sterile, 1 failure occurring within 3 months in each group. In 1 vasectomized patient recanalization occurred after development of a sperm granuloma and in 1 vas-occluded patient clips had been placed on nonductal structures. There was no intergroup difference in consumption of analgesics or with regard to postoperative complications. Median operation times for vas occlusion and vasectomy were 11 and 14 minutes, respectively. The material is too small to evaluate rates of operative failures for the 2 methods, but the performance of val occlusion was a little speedier than vasectomy, the need for disection and tissue handling being minimized. It is concluded that vas occlusion by clips without transection deserves further evaluation as an alternative to vasectomy for male contraception.