Vasectomy

Vasectomy is an elective surgical procedure that produces male sterilization, most often chosen as a permanent method of contraception, in which the vasa deferentia, the tubes that carry sperm, are cut and then tied or sealed to prevent sperm from reaching the urethra and fertilizing an egg. The procedure is usually performed in a physician's office or clinic rather than a hospital, takes less than thirty minutes because of its simplicity, and typically requires only a short recovery at the doctor's office before the patient returns home; many patients resume their usual activity within about a week. Because it is considered a permanent and not easily reversed method of contraception, patients are routinely counseled to weigh its long-term emotional and physical implications before the procedure, and only the patient's own consent is required.