The performance of vasectomy in an urban municipality. Practical considerations for follow-up

To establish an adequate follow-up protocol based on time to azoospermia achievement after vasectomy. Also, to review the rate of complications in our setting. Retrospective analysis of 391 men who underwent vasectomy. Follow-up was performed by means of semen analysis 6 months after surgery, and then every 3 months until azoospermia was achieved. Data of visits to the emergency unit at our centre were obtained within the first 30 postoperative days. During follow-up 567 semen analysis were performed. From 391 vasectomy interventions, 275 had at least one semen sample available and valid for processing. After the first 6 months from surgery, 41.1%men still presented nonmotile rare sperm in semen analysis, 9.7% after 9 months, and 4.7% after 12 months. If semen analysis was postponed from 6 to 9 months after surgery, a total yearly saving of 6,153.23 Euro would be observed in our setting, but with the drawback of delaying the diagnosis of azoospermia in nearly 60% of men. Overall complication rate was 3.1%(only one man required hospital admittance and reintervention). No statistical difference was observed in operative time with regard to the presence or absence of urological complications. The percentage of men not achieving azoospermia 6 months after surgery is notorious. Vasectomy practice in our setting seems to be reliable and safe, with a limited rate of complications.