Percutaneous vasectomy: a simple modification eliminates the steep learning curve of no-scalpel vasectomy

Development and Application of a Novel and Efficient Skills Assessment Tool: A Pilot Initiative to Measure Vasectomy Competency on a Smartphone

OBJECTIVE

To develop and evaluate a mobile phone-based skills assessment tool that measures procedural competency of urology residents learning to perform a common, non-robotic urology procedure as a means of tracking current skillset and improvement over time.

METHODS

The assessment tool was a Qualtrics survey accessed via a smartphone link that breaks down a vasectomy into 6 critical steps. Level of competency was measured on a scale of '1-novice' to '5-expert.' Nine residents from Post graduate year (PGY)-1 to PGY-5 were evaluated by one instructor after completing a vasectomy (86 single-side cases recorded over a 6-month period). We compared individual trainees to each other, analyzed performance (improvement) over time, and evaluated competency against cohort and program averages.

RESULTS

As an example, a single resident ('Resident 2,' N = 11 cases) was compared to cohort (PGY, M = 7.5/resident) and program (all residents, M = 7.4/resident). Results indicate similar skillfulness across Step 1 (puncturing and isolation of vas and hand positioning; P > 0.1), but marginally lower competency on Step 2 (opening of vasal sheath to expose/isolate vas; vs. cohort: P = 0.076, vs. residents: P = 0.082). Significantly lower competency on Steps 3-6 (all P < 0.04) suggests targeted teaching could improve cautery technique, fascial interposition, hemostasis, and positioning of stumps.

CONCLUSION

Our mobile-based skills assessment is a low cost, novel, and efficient assessment that would support current Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) goals to increase competency-based residency training. This tool is easily created and accessed, provides real-time feedback to learners, and can be used for individual and group assessment at a single timepoint or longitudinally.

[Vasectomy : Current information]

Vasectomy is considered to be the simplest, most effective and cheapest method of fertility control in men, with a significantly lower risk of morbidity and mortality compared to tubal ligation in women. Patient informed consent is particularly important and should include potential irreversibility, surgical options, anesthesia, possible complications as well as postoperative behavior and the need for re-evaluation. There are different access routes available with conventional and no-scalpel vasectomy as well as different techniques for closing the ends of the vas deferens. To confirm sterility the European Association of Urology (EAU) recommends that an ejaculate analysis should be performed 3 months after the procedure and after approximately 20 ejaculations. Complications are relatively rare, although particularly vasectomy failure due to recanalization has to be considered. Approximately 3-6% of vasectomized men strive for a refertilization, which with experienced surgeons is successful in about 90% of cases.

Open/close-ended vasectomy technique by single incision on vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), considered a species of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are widely maintained at primate sanctuaries in South Africa. Permanent surgical contraception is a necessary method for the management of this species in captivity. In this study, a new vasectomy technique was evaluated and involves a prescrotal approach with only one surgical incision, aiming to excise a piece of vas deferens, leaving open the testicular side, and creating a loop on the prostatic side to avoid future recanalization. The birth rate was studied to assess the success of the technique. This technique significantly reduced breeding in the study population from 33 births in the first year to four births during the last year of the study. These results show that this type of vasectomy is a fast, simple, and safe technique for controlling monkey populations in sanctuaries.

A feasible ambulatory mini-incision microsurgical vasovasostomy under local anaesthesia using a specially designed double-ringed clamp that simplifies surgery

INTRODUCTION

In line with the effort to evaluate feasible surgical options for vasectomy reversal and to increase patients' willingness to undergo the procedure, this study reported on a technique for ambulatory mini-incision microsurgical vasovasostomy using a double-ringed clamp (i.e. Moon's clamp). This technique does not require the use of dilators, approximators and other accessory devices.

METHODS

Ambulatory mini-incision microsurgical vasovasostomy was conducted on 263 patients who satisfied the surgical eligibility requirements for vasovasostomy and the safety criteria for local anaesthesia. The operation time, details on postoperative recovery and results of the postoperative semen analysis were recorded and retrospectively analysed.

RESULTS

The mean time used to isolate the bilateral vas deferens was 25.5 minutes. All patients were discharged on the day of surgery and all patients returned to their normal activities within 24-48 hours after surgery. No haematoma or infection occurred except in one patient. Postoperative semen analysis showed that the surgery was successful in 182 (96.8%) of the 188 patients who complied with the postoperative patient instructions.

CONCLUSION

Ambulatory mini-incision microsurgical vasectomy reversal using Moon's clamp and under local anaesthesia is a surgically feasible option that offers the advantages of a low-risk operation. It also achieves successful vasovasostomy without other accessory devices and allows patients to return to their daily activities quickly with minimal complications.

Minimally invasive vas surgery using a newly designed double-ringed clamp

INTRODUCTION

We have recently designed a novel surgical instrument, a double-ringed clamp (Moon's clamp), with which the vas deferens can be located and isolated both simply and safely while minimizing unnecessary injury to the surrounding tissue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

With the use of the Moon's clamp, we successfully performed 1,140 cases of simplified, minimally invasive vasectomy and 216 cases of mini-incision vasectomy reversals (vasovasostomies) without any significant complications.

CONCLUSION

This surgical technique, using Moon's clamp, may be effective in reducing the operative time, the postoperative complications and the recovery time after different types of vas surgeries, such as vasectomy or vasectomy reversal.

Office based vasectomy can be performed by supervised urological residents with patient pain and morbidity comparable to those of a staff surgeon procedure

PURPOSE

Although it is routinely performed in the ambulatory setting, vasectomy is an intricate surgical procedure with the potential for significant pain and morbidity. We determined from our prospective, institutional review board approved database whether vasectomy pain was affected by whether a staff surgeon or resident was the primary surgeon on the case.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One staff surgeon and 14 residents in training year 2, 3 or 5 performed bilateral percutaneous no-scalpel vasectomy. Men scheduled to undergo vasectomy were assigned to the staff urologist (134) or to a resident (133) as the primary surgeon. The staff surgeon demonstrated the first vasectomy each month when a new resident rotated on service and all residents were directly assisted by the staff surgeon. Pain associated with each side of the bilateral vasectomy was assessed with a 0 to 100 mm visual analog scale.

RESULTS

The average visual analog scale score of the 2 sides was 19.5 in patients in the staff cohort and 21.8 in those in the resident cohort. Although mean scores were slightly lower when vasectomy was performed by the staff surgeon, the difference between the staff surgeon and residents was neither statistically nor clinically significant. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in visual analog scale scores among residents of different training years.

CONCLUSIONS

Office based vasectomy can be performed by residents under staff supervision with pain comparable to that of the procedure performed by a staff urologist. Urological resident training can be accomplished without compromising high standards of care.

A prospective evaluation of the impact of scheduled follow-up appointments with compliance rates after vasectomy

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively determine the impact of scheduled follow-up appointments with compliance rates after vasectomy.

PATIENT AND METHODS

During a study period of 18 months, 228 consecutive men had a vasectomy, of whom 114 were instructed to bring a semen sample to the office and 114 were given a follow-up appointment to submit samples. All men were instructed to submit specimens at 2 months after vasectomy and at 1-month intervals until two consecutive samples were azoospermic. The mean (range) follow-up was 16 (6-24) months. Compliance rates for the appointment and no-appointment group were compared using a two-sided Fisher's exact test. A subgroup analysis used a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

In the appointment group, 96/114 (84%) of patients complied with instructions to bring the first sample at 2 months, and in the no-appointment group, 74/114 (65%) complied (P=0.001). In the appointment group, 43/114 (48%) of patients complied with instructions to provide two consecutive azoospermic specimens and in the no-appointment group, 23/114 (20%) complied (P=0.005). A subgroup analysis of patients who provided a sample at 2 months indicated that, on adjusting for the results of the first test, patients with appointments were 1.17 times more likely to provide additional specimens than patients with no appointments. Adjusting for the type of appointment, patients who had sperm present in the first test were 6.72 times more likely to provide additional specimens than patients who were azoospermic on the first test.

CONCLUSION

Scheduling an appointment after vasectomy provides a statistically and clinically significant improvement in compliance.

Determining the success of vasectomy

OBJECTIVES

To examine patient compliance, significance of rare nonmotile sperm (RNMS) and to determine the timing and number of semen analyses required to confirm sterility.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From November 2001 to November 2004, 436 consecutive primary vasectomies were performed by one surgeon. All patients were instructed to submit two initial semen specimens for analysis (2 and 3 months after vasectomy) and additional samples (at 1-month intervals) if sperm were identified on the initial and subsequent analyses.

RESULTS

A quarter of the patients submitted no semen specimens and only 21% followed the full instructions to provide two consecutive negative semen analyses. Three-quarters of the patients provided a semen specimen at 8 weeks after vasectomy; of these, 75% were azoospermic and 25% contained sperm. At 12 weeks after vasectomy half the patients provided a semen specimen; of these, 91% were azoospermic and 9% contained sperm. Of the 83 patients with semen containing sperm at 8 weeks, 80 had RNMS and three had rare motile sperm (one of whom subsequently proved to have vasectomy failure). Of the 80 patients with RNMS, at 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11 months, 65, four, three, four, two, one and one, respectively were azoospermic.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results indicate that many patients are not compliant with the protocol after vasectomy. Provided patients have been adequately counselled, we think that one negative semen analysis at 3 months or one with RNMS at 2 months may be adequate to determine the success of vasectomy. This should reduce the number of semen analyses, including reducing the number of men who must undergo repeat testing, without sacrificing the accuracy of determining paternity. Simplifying the follow-up after vasectomy is important; not only would it be cost-effective but it may also improve patient compliance.

Simply modified no-scalpel vasectomy (percutaneous vasectomy) — a comparative study against the standard no-scalpel vasectomy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The simply modified no-scalpel vasectomy (SMNSV; percutaneous vasectomy) technique was reported to simplify the standard no-scalpel vasectomy (SNSV) procedure. In this report, we introduce our experiences with SMNSV in comparison with the SNSV.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between July 1999 and June 2002, 417 men were prospectively randomized to be vasectomized at the Taipei Medical University Hospital: 215 acceptors underwent the SNSV and the remaining 202 received the SMNSV. Using the no-scalpel vasectomy instruments in a percutaneous fashion, the sharp no-scalpel hemostat punctures the skin directly instead of fixating the vas to the skin with the use of a ring clamp, as done in SNSV. The vas is then grasped with the ringed instrument instead of piercing the vas and performing the supination maneuver, as described for SNSV. The intraoperative conditions of each group were recorded. The postoperative pain and life conditions were self-reported. The pain level was assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale under various situations.

RESULTS

The time required for the SMNSV technique was less than that for the SNSV technique (p < .05). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to incision length, postoperative pain, pain at coitus, time of return to work, time of resuming intercourse, self-reported satisfaction in sexual life, postoperative psychological status, postoperative body weight change and postoperative complications (p > .05 for all items).

CONCLUSIONS

The simply modified vasectomy technique simplifies the SNSV technique. It combines the minimally invasive nature of SNSV with the simplicity of classical vasectomy while conserving many comparable advantages.

A novel instrument-independent no-scalpel vasectomy - a comparative study against the standard instrument-dependent no-scalpel vasectomy

An instrument-independent no-scalpel vasectomy (IINSV) technique is reported. This technique does not use the standard specific instruments, but comparatively retains the advantages of minimally invasive instrument-dependent no-scalpel vasectomy (IDNSV). Between July 1999 and June 2002, 449 men were prospectively randomized to be vasectomized at two hospitals in Taipei. Of those who accepted, 215 underwent IDNSV at one hospital and the remaining 234 underwent IINSV at the other. The intra-operative conditions of each group were recorded. The postoperative pain and life conditions were self-reported through a questionnaire that had been carefully designed prior to the operations, in which the pain level was assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale under varying situations. Men vasectomized using the IINSV method experienced less operation time and postoperative complications (haematomas, infections and granulomas) (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to incision length, postoperative pain, pain at coitus, time of return to work, time of resuming intercourse, self-reported satisfaction in sexual life, postoperative psychological status, postoperative body weight change and vasectomy failure as evidenced by sperm analysis (p > 0.05 for all items). Thus, the IINSV technique can offer an alternative option for vasectomists whenever the specific instruments of standard no-scalpel vasectomy are unavailable. The IINSV technique shortens the operation time and reduces the incidence of operative complications when compared with the IDNSV technique, while still retaining the advantages of minimally invasive vasectomy.