Yes. All contraceptive methods carry some risk as well as benefits. A vasectomy is a very low risk procedure, but complications are possible.
Though rare, bleeding (hematoma) and infections are the most common complications of a vasectomy. A no-scalpel vasectomy, the procedure performed by Central Arizona Urologists, reduces their likelihood because the blood vessels responsible for bleeding are less likely to be affected and because the opening in the scrotum is so small.
Another potential risk is failure to achieve sterility. A vasectomy is not guaranteed to be 100% effective. Even when the operation is performed perfectly, it is possible in very rare cases for sperm to find its way across the void between the two blocked ends of the vas deferens. This situation, called recanalization, is highly unusual but does occur. Recanalization usually occurs in the first 2-3 months after a vasectomy, but has been known in extremely rare cases to occur even years later. We request a semen analysis after twenty(20) ejaculates to verify zero (0) sperm.
Sperm granuloma, a hard, sometimes painful lump about the size of a pea may form as a result of sperm leaking from the cut vas deferens. The lump is not dangerous and is almost always resolved by the body in time. Scrotal support and mild pain relievers are usually all that are needed for symptoms, though I may suggest other treatment.
Congestion, a sense of pressure caused by sperm accumulation in the testes, epididymis, and lower vas deferens, may cause discomfort some 2 to 12 weeks after a vasectomy. Like granuloma, congestion usually resolves itself in time. The same conservative therapy used for sperm granuloma (local heat, anti inflammatory, and scrotal support) applies to the feeling of congestion.
