Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that choosing a vasectomy reversal is a significant decision, and you may have many questions. To help you make an informed choice, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions about the procedure, recovery, success rates, and more. If you don’t see your question here, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help.
Is there a consultation fee?
For those with an active Provincial Health Care number, there is no consultation fee as this is something that would be covered through your provincial insurance.
What is the success rate?
Dr. White is the only surgeon that actively tracks his patency rates in Southern Alberta and currently has a 96% patency rate.
How much does it cost?
Vasectomy reversals are not covered by Provincial Health plans and is a private pay procedure. The cost of a vasectomy reversal is $8,500.00 CDN. Unless paying with credit card, wherein Square charges ~3.5% transaction fee, there are no hidden costs. This will cover the surgical fee, anesthesia fee, surgical equipment and all follow-ups.
Please note, there is no fee for consultation or pre-operative visits as these are covered services by Provincial Health plans.
How long does it take to perform a vasectomy reversal?
A vasectomy reversal generally takes 2-3 hours to complete.
Will I be asleep for this procedure?
Yes, a vasectomy reversal is performed with a full general anaesthetic. Local anaesthetic (freezing) in the operative site is also used during the procedure but you will be asleep once this is placed.
Where will my vasectomy reversal be performed?
Your operation will be performed at Mount Royal Surgical located at:
3007 14 St SW #301B
Calgary, AB
T2T 3V6
Website: https://mountroyalsurgical.com/about/
What happens the day of Surgery?
You should plan to arrive 90 minutes prior to your scheduled start time for the vasectomy reversal at Mount Royal Surgical.
Do not eat/drink anything starting at midnight prior to surgery. You can have small sips of water with your medications. A full list of instructions will be sent to you prior to surgery.
What happens after Surgery?
- You will have a bandage on the scrotum which can be removed 4 hours post-op
- You will be provided prescriptions for pain, bleeding and scarring
- No sexual activity/heavy lifting (>10 lbs) for two weeks
- Frequent ejaculation after two weeks (5x/week)
- You may try to become pregnant at the two week mark
- Telephone/in-person follow-up at 4-6 weeks post-op
- You will be able to communicate with team throughout the post-operative period, though this will be when the scheduled follow-up is
- Semen analysis at 3-4 months post-op
- Ongoing follow-up depending on results and patient preference
What kind of pain can I expect?
In most men, two small incisions will be made to complete the vasectomy reversal. It is normal to have some discomfort for 1-2 weeks, but generally speaking this responds very well to tylenol and after 3-5 days, pain is quite minimal.
When can I go back to work?
This will largely depend on what you do for work. For those with an office-based job or those with minimal physical activity, most men are able to return to work within 3-5 days.
Men with more physically demanding jobs should wait two weeks before restarting physically demanding jobs.
When can I resume sexual activity?
For the first two weeks, it is recommended to wait for 2 weeks prior to ejaculating. After this, you should ejaculate frequently (~5x/week) in order to keep fluid going past the anastamosis.
What are some common complications related to the Surgery?
Fortunately, major complications following a vasectomy reversal are extremely uncommon. There are some minor risks to be aware of:
- Bleeding/hematoma (collection of blood in scrotum) – 1-2%
- Infection – 1-2%
- Hydrocele (benign collection of fluid around testicle) – 4-6%
- Chronic orchalgia (pain in testis) – 1-2%
- Injury to testicle/cord structures – <1%
- Early failure (no sperm in ejaculate) – ~5%
- Delayed failure (no sperm in ejaculate after initially sperm being present) – 5-10%
How long from the time of vasectomy can a vasectomy reversal be performed?
There is excellent data supporting vasectomy reversals even 30+ years after the vasectomy was performed. There is an increased likelihood of requiring a more technically challenging repair as time goes on.
What payment methods do you accept?
Options include:
1. Certified Bank Draft
2. Certified Cheque
3. Credit Medical – Financing option available through Credit Medical
4. Credit Card – Please note 3.5% fee applied through Square if selecting this option
When is payment due?
Payment is due 3 weeks prior to surgery.