FAQ

Most of the time someone interested in vasectomy wants to know what it will cost them even before making an appointment. In today’s medical environment, that is next to impossible at most offices when insurance is involved. Dr. Snyder wants you to have a good idea what your out-of-pocket cost will be, and he also values your time, so he makes it easy for you to get scheduled. After completing the registration, Dr. Snyder’s assistant Emily will contact your insurance company and figure an estimate for you. She will then contact you by email or phone to let you know the estimate, and to get you scheduled. We are not aware of any other vasectomy provider who offers this level of service before even making an appointment.

I average over 1000 vasectomies personally performed each year and that number is increasing. I am confident that is more than any other single doctor in the Indiana. As far as I know, I am the only one offering the less invasive No Needle No Scalpel Vasectomy. Choosing vasectomy is a very important decision, and you want to be cared for by a doctor who really puts forth the effort to make the vasectomy procedure as comfortable as possible; not only with respect to pain control, but also in other important ways. I understand your feelings of vulnerability and anxiety. My objective is to put you at ease, and I am the only one in the office who sees you in your most vulnerable situation. My staff will contact your insurance company and get an out of pocket estimate for the procedure before you even schedule your procedure, so you won’t have any financial surprises, and my fee is the most competitive in the area if you don’t have coverage. I perform vasectomies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in my Indianapolis office. I can usually get you scheduled within a couple of months of making your decision. Thank you for considering me as your provider for vasectomy services.

No-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) is a safer and less invasive procedure than the traditional vasectomy procedure. NSV was developed in China in 1974, then brought to western counties in 1985, and approved for widespread use in the USA around 1990. No Scalpel vasectomy differs from conventional vasectomy in how anesthesia is given and how the vas deferens (vasa) are reached. Complications are 10 times less likely with NSV versus traditional techniques, and no sutures are needed at the one small skin opening. No Needle anesthesia is the most effective way to improve comfort and reduce anxiety and was introduced to the NSV after 2000. Here is how a NNNSV is done: The local numbing medicine is sprayed through the skin of the scrotum under pressure from a special device called a Madajet for immediate numbing without the use of a needle. The vas on one side is trapped in a ring clamp, then the skin is opened without cutting, hence no need for a scalpel. The skin is stretched open with a pointy hemostat clamp, then the vas is brought up and out of the opening where it is blocked by the doctor. Dr Snyder employs the superior open ended technique on the testicular end, while blocking the upper end with cautery. The upper end is buried in surrounding tissue to keep the two ends apart. The other side is treated the same way through the same skin opening. The open end reduces the chance of congestion from sperm build up after the vasectomy. No Needle No Scalpel Vasectomy is superior to traditional vasectomy in many ways: Faster recovery, no skin sutures, less chance of infection and bleeding.

Vasectomy permanently interrupts the delivery of sperm cells into the ejaculate or semen. The volume and appearance of the semen looks the same as before the procedure, because the volume that the sperm adds to the semen is less than 5% so the ejaculated fluid has no change in appearance even after the sperm has cleared. Testosterone is produced in the testicles, but it is delivered to the rest of the body through the blood stream, not the vas deferens. Therefore there is no chance that having a vasectomy will affect your testosterone level, so there is no physical or hormonal reason vasectomy should affect your ability to get an erection or change your desire for sex. It is recommended that you abstain from sex for at least three days after the procedure as part of your recovery, and you must use an alternative form of birth control until the semen analysis confirms there are no more sperm in the semen before relying on vasectomy for birth control.

There is very little preparation for your procedure, but it is important to follow these instructions:

Scrotal support is very important for a smooth recovery, so Dr Snyder will offer you a scrotal support (jock strap) at your appointment; this provides very important support not only for comfort, but for the healing process to get off to a good start. It also allows gauze from the procedure to stay in place during the initial day or two. Wear whatever clothes are comfortable to you and appropriate for the season.

Please do not take aspirin for 5 days prior to your vasectomy, unless your personal physician advises against stopping it. You may resume taking it the day after.

On the day prior to the vasectomy, please shave any hair from the front of the scrotum. It is best to trim with scissors carefully first, then shave. It is during the trimming with scissors that nicks are most common. As you pull an the hair to trim with scissors, be mindful that the skin is loose and thin, so be sure skin is not pulled up with the hair into the scissors. Leave removing shortened pubic hair to shaving. You do not need to shave all your hair “down there”,  just whatever is on the under side of your lower penis and on down along the front of your scrotum. Basically the area visible to you as you stand facing a mirror while you hold your penis up.

It is a good idea to have a light meal an hour or two before your appointment. Having someone drive you to and from the appointment is best, but many guys drive themselves and do just fine. Rarely, a man may become light headed on the drive home, especially if he has a history of getting light headed in medical situations. If you do choose to drive yourself, you are responsible if an accident occurs, so getting a driver is best.

Please refer to full instructions under “forms” on this site for more information for pre and post vasectomy instructions.

Although men may recover differently from one another, the recovery period is relatively brief for most men after No Needle No Scalpel Vasectomy. Pain after the procedure is almost never severe, but may be nagging with a subtle pressure or pulling for a few days after the procedure. The best way to minimize any discomfort is to wear an undergarment that provides good scrotal support for at least a week after the procedure, and maybe longer, such as the athletic supporter that Dr. Snyder may provide, especially while active. To prevent swelling and whatever pain comes with it, it is recommended you stay home right after the vasectomy and stay sedentary until the day after the vasectomy. Then, with good scrotal support, it is reasonable to ease into normal non-strenuous activity the next day. Heavy lifting, working out, etc. should be put off until the fourth or fifth day after the procedure, and if it causes undue pain, then stop the activity and rest some more before trying it again. Ice, frozen peas or cool packs  are not generally necessary with Dr. Snyder’s No Needle No Scalpel Vasectomy. Wait to shower until the morning after your vasectomy and wait at least three days before submersing in a tub or pool or having sex. Bruising may become apparent either soon after the vasectomy, four or five days later, or not at all. Generally no pain medicine is needed after a vasectomy, but it is reasonable and safe to take over the counter pain relievers as directed on their label if you need to. Dr. Snyder will give you his cell phone number so you can call if there are any signs of infection (very rare) or any other problems that need his attention.

First of all, although a couple often decides together that no more children are desired, it is an individual who ultimately is affected for the rest of his or her life, and that individual must imagine what life may be like some day without their spouse in the picture. That man or woman must be completely comfortable with the choice they are making as part of their present team, even if they become part of a different team in the future because of death or divorce.

Speaking of divorce, often times a man or woman who is very comfortable with never having (any more) children, had been relying on their partner’s permanent procedure; then they are no longer a couple. That man or woman would be a very good candidate for permanent birth control.

Almost always a couple or individual has children before deciding to permanently end their ability to do so, but not always. Some individuals have made a choice, for a variety of reasons, never to have any kids. These are people who have decided to be child free by choice. The most common reasons for making this decision is having a profession or lifestyle that would make it difficult to care for children, a high risk for transmitting genetic problems to offspring , or many other reasons.

The younger a patient is when they choose permanent birth control, unrelated to the number of kids they already have, then the higher the likelihood they will regret their decision some day . This is because, for one thing, they simply have more time to change their mind than an older patient does. With a new partner, often comes a desire for more children even when they thought they never would want more; therefore it is generally recommended that young people avoid permanent birth control. Most studies find this regret factor is significantly less when someone is over 30 or 35 when they choose permanent birth control.

The best basis on which to decide to have a vasectomy or other permanent procedure, is if a couple has had a very clear life plan as far as how many children they wanted in order to complete their family, whether it is zero or ten. Ideally this number of children was decided prior to starting your family, and there has been little disagreement on what that number is. If both of you are equally committed to never having children again under any circumstance, here are some things to consider when deciding which individual may want a permanent procedure done: Age (the oldest may want to have it done); whoever has the most children from prior relationships would be another thing to consider. Health conditions that affect the safety of the individual having the procedure also comes into play. Often it comes down to more practical matters on who should have a permanent procedure done: such as cost, or who can take some time off work for the procedure and who is mentally better equipped to go through a procedure of any kind. Of course no one has the right to pressure another individual into a permanent birth control procedure. If you are only following through with permanent birth control because of pressure from your significant other, this is a sign that you are not a good candidate for it, and should refuse.

For men who have had a No Needle No Scalpel Vasectomy at NoStork, a semen analysis is included two months after the procedure to ensure that there are no more sperm cells in the man’s semen so an unwanted pregnancy will not occur. Dr. Snyder does this test himself. Dr. Snyder makes this very important test as discrete and convenient as possible for you so that you have no reason to skip this very important step. Two months after your vasectomy, Dr. Snyder mails a special collection kit with a postage paid return mailer and full instructions. The fee is included in the cost of vasectomy for NoStork patients. You can produce the semen specimen in your home, and simply mail it. A link to the results will be emailed securely to you when it is complete.  There are no trips to an impersonal lab and no need to return to the office! Patients who wish to recheck their PVSA for piece of mind beyond the initial testing period may request a re-test at a reasonable additional fee by contacting Dr. Snyder through the form on the “Contact Us” page.