Over The Horizon

A Kinder Cut

A recent visit to Wellington by a group of Chinese family planning experts has raised interest in a vasectomy method that does not require scalpel incisions.

In the procedure, a tiny puncture is made in the scrotum and the two sperm-carrying vas deferens tubes are pulled through to be tied or clipped. Research in the US, Asia and Latin America has confirmed that the technique involves even fewer complications than does conventional vasectomy, where two small incisions are used to gain access to the vas deferens.

Preliminary results from a randomised clinical trial involving almost 1,000 men in five countries show significantly fewer complications and complaints with the no-scalpel method. None of the men who had no-scalpel vasectomies experienced infection, compared with over 2% of men with conventional operations. In addition, follow-up visits two weeks after the procedure indicated less pain, scrotal bruising and backache for no-scalpel patients.

The technique is harder to learn than that used on conventional vasectomies, with at least 15 to 20 procedures required to gain proficiency. It is faster than the existing method, with the patient free in less than an hour.

The no-scalpel method, developed by Dr Li Shunquang of the Chongqing Family Planning Scientific Research Institute, is now used in more than 20 countries, but predominantly in China. At present, it is not available in New Zealand, although some local family planning experts are taking steps to learn it.

Dr Vincent Gray