What has better results for healing? No scalpel or traditional approach. My doctor said the scalpel approach heals faster.

Actually the no-scalpel vasectomy heals about twice as fast as if a scalpel is used. Why is this? If a scalpel is used you are cutting across blood vessels and other vessels called lymphatics. It takes at least 72 hours for these to seal and another 5 to 7 days for the swelling to recede. On the other hand, if no scalpel is used then the structures are simply spread apart. Swelling is almost always gone within 48 hours and another 3 to 4 days are required for full recovery and this makes the recovery somewhere around 50 to 70% as long as it does if a scalpel is used. Clearly a no-scalpel approach is an advantage. The procedure began in China and came to this country in 1970 and was first reported in a large study of 1000 men who had had a vasectomy by Dr. Levine in 1974

Published on Jul 11, 2012