LASER vasectomy

"Using a LASER to divide a vas tube would be like using a blowtorch to cut your stereo speaker wire."

We are aware of no medical literature that would support the use of a laser for routine vasectomy.

The term "LASER" seems to have great popular appeal. Even before certain offices began to take advantage of this appeal to market vasectomy and vasectomy reversal services, we would receive calls regularly from people inquiring about whether no-scalpel vasectomy is "done with a laser". The term LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are utilized in many modern devices such as barcode scanners in checkout lines, laser printers, and compact disk players, all very impressive in their own right. In medicine, lasers can be used to destroy bladder tumors, kidney stones, and overgrown prostate tissue under direct vision through scopes; and lasers are good ways to treat certain skin lesions, and retinal (back of the eye) disorders. But a laser (like any other form of light) cannot pass through opaque tissue without burning a hole in it, so a laser cannot be magically directed at internal organs such as the vas tubes without an access opening, in the same way that sound waves can be used to destroy kidney stones without an incision.

Once a vas tube is exposed through a small opening in the scrotal wall by using either a very pointy hemostat (the no-scalpel vasectomy technique) or a small surgical blade (the traditional technique), the best way to divide the vas is with fine surgical scissors. Using a laser for something this simple would be like using a blowtorch to snip a small electrical wire … overkill. Once divided, the vas tube ends can be tied, or they can be cauterized (sealed) easily and effectively with an inexpensive hand-held cautery device.

Lifting the vas tubes into position beneath the skin and using a laser to burn through the skin and then divide the vas tubes would be another method of performing a vasectomy with a laser but it is a blind approach. The sheath that surrounds the vas tube and that contains nerves and blood vessels would be divided crosswise along with those nerves and vessels. Surgical exposure of the vas tubes using either the traditional or no-scalpel methods of vasectomy allows the surgeon to open the vas sheath lengthwise, thereby sparing the nerves and vessels as the vas tube is lifted from its sheath before being divided and sealed under direct vision.

LASER vasectomy reversal

I could not express my sentiments about the use of LASER with vasectomy reversal any better than did the author of the web page at http://www.laser-vasectomy-reversal.com. While there have been articles published about use of a LASER with vasectomy reversal (available on request), the data presented in these articles with respect to sperm recovery and pregnancy is no better than that in other published vasectomy reversal series.

Once again, the use of an expensive cutting/cauterizing instrument for a constructive procedure may have some marketing appeal but it does not enhance the success of vasectomy reversal.