How is No-Scalpel Vasectomy different from a conventional vasectomy?
In a conventional vasectomy, the scrotum is numbed with an injection of local anaesthetic into the skin on either side above the testes. A small cut is then made in the numbed area with a scalpel and the vas deferens on each side dissected out in turn. The tube is then cut and the cut ends tied. The small cuts in the skin are then stitched. The No-Scalpel vasectomy starts with a more effective technique to anaesthetise the skin and the vas. The doctor finds the vas deferens under the skin and holds it in place with a special ring clamp. Instead of making two incisions, a tiny puncture is made in the skin and the vas delivered and blocked with a special cautery instrument called the Hyfrecator. This effectively pushes the blood vessels and the nerves aside instead of cutting across them. No stitches are needed to close the small opening which heals quickly with no scar. This technique was developed first in China by Dr.Shunqiang in 1974. It was introduced into the USA in 1988. In the UK
