Vasectomy Reversal (Vasovasostomy)

A vasectomy is recognized as a permanent approach to birth control. Vasectomy reversal (vasovasostomy) reconnects the tubes (vas deferens) that were cut during vasectomy. If you are considering a vasovasostomy, you'll want to read the following important information provided by Metropolitan Urological Specialists in St. Louis, MO. Vasectomy reversal is usually an outpatient procedure (without overnight stay in the hospital). Spinal or general anesthesia is normally used to ensure that you stay totally still during the surgery.

The odds of vasectomy reversal success depend on how much time has passed between the vasectomy and the reversal. With time, further blockages can develop, and some men develop antibodies to their own sperm.

The surgery is more complicated and takes additional time whenever blockage between the vas deferens and the epididymis requires correction (vasoepididymostomy).

What To Expect After Surgery

Vasectomy reversal usually requires from 2 to 4 hours, accompanied by a few more hours for recovery from the anesthetic. You can expect to go home the same day. Pain may be mild to moderate. You ought to be able to resume normal activities, including sex, within 3 weeks.

Why It Is Done

Vasectomy reversal is done when you have had a vasectomy and now want to be fertile.

How Well It Works

Likelihood of a successful vasectomy reversal decline over time. Reversals are more successful during the first decade after vasectomy. Generally, vasectomy reversal:

• Brings about overall pregnancy rates of greater than fifty percent.
• Has the greatest chance of success within 3 years of the vasectomy.
• Causes pregnancy only about 30% of the time if the reversal is done ten years following vasectomy.

Risks

Risks of vasectomy reversal include:

• Infection at the site of surgery.
• Fluid buildup in the scrotum (hydrocele) that might require draining.
• Injury to the arteries or nerves within the scrotum.

What To Think About

Before a vasectomy reversal is done, your doctor will want to make sure you were fertile prior to your vasectomy.

You can have tests to find whether you've got sperm antibodies in your semen before and after vasectomy reversal. If there are sperm antibodies within your semen after surgery, your partner is unlikely to become pregnant. In this case, you may wish to try in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

If you've got any questions about the reverse vasectomy or any of the other services offered by Metropolitan Urological Specialists, set up a urological health consultation with them and they'll give you the answers you need. Metropolitan Urological Specialists is a wonderful place to go for urological knowledge in St Louis, Creve Coeur, Florissant, and Kirkwood, Missouri.

The Basics of Kidney Stones

In the United States, about one person in 10 will develop a kidney stone within their life. In 2010, kidney stones were the cause of more than 600,000 emergency room visitors. The doctors with Metropolitan Urological Specialists in Washington, Florissant, and St. Louis, Missouri have some important information to keep you in the loop on your potential risks.

A kidney stone is simply mineral deposit that forms in the urinary system tract. Kidney stones build whenever crystals, that are present in the urine, start to stick together and progressively accumulate into a rock-like mass. At first, kidney stones are small in size, but over time, as more crystals attach, they're able to grow really large.

How come kidney stones form?

The deposits that develop kidney stones are made of elements typically found in the urine. These compounds include calcium, oxalate, phosphate, uric acid, and other chemical compounds. Your kidneys regularly excrete these compounds into the urine. Nevertheless, when their concentration in the urine is particularly high, these chemicals do not stay dissolved and rather begin to crystallize and precipitate away from the urine. There are other components in the urine referred to as inhibitors which help to keep the crystals from clinging together. Whenever the concentration of crystals is too high or the relative quantity of inhibitors is too low, a kidney stone will develop. Many factors can contribute to your chance of getting kidney stone, like your familial genetic predisposition, eating habits, and fluid intake, where you reside, or even your work environment.

What are the various types of kidney stones?

There are a few types of kidney stones, each having different chemical composition.

Nearly all kidney stones have calcium. Calcium stones are made up of calcium that's chemically bound to either oxalate (calcium oxalate stones) or phosphate (calcium phosphate stones). Among these, calcium oxalate is way more common. Pure calcium phosphate stones are the rarest and generally show an underlying illness or metabolic condition. The most common stone composition is in fact blend of mostly calcium oxalate with a bit of calcium phosphate.

Around 15 percent of kidney stones don't have calcium. These include uric acid stones, struvite stones, and cystine stones.

How widespread are kidney stones?

In the United States, about one individual in ten will build up a kidney stone within their lifetime. In 2010, kidney stones were the reason for over 600,000 emergency room trips. We understand that men are more likely to have kidney stones than women. Those with caucasian origin are five times more likely to have kidney stones than African-Americans. Stone incidence peaks between forty and fifty years of age and appears to decline.

Exactly what are my chances of recurrence?

Kidney stones are likely to recur. If a man has produced one kidney stone, and does absolutely nothing to reduce his chance of recurrence, research has revealed he has about a 60% to 70 % probability of having another. If a man has had 2 kidney stones, the prospects of recurrence reach more than ninety %. The odds of recurrence are slightly lower for ladies.

There are steps you can take to significantly decrease your chance of recurrence. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the experts at Metropolitan Urological Specialists. They have offices in St. Louis, Washington, and Florissant, MO.