Dr. Daniel:  This is a very common question. In my experience, vasectomy reversal surgery seems to be very effective in relieving pain that occurs in some men following a vasectomy. The reason for this is unknown. There was a recent study published in the Journal of Urology in a group of 14 Canadian men which affirmed this statement. The Canadian group was used because it is a covered procedure for pain under the Canadian system. I am hesitant to ever recommend any surgery with the sole expectation that it will alleviate pain, but reversing a vasectomy does seem to be effective treatment for this condition.

Dr. Daniel:  Yes. I perform the best operation for the particular patient and findings. This decision cannot be made before the procedure is underway with any reliability. It does not take much longer for me to do the actual bypass procedure as opposed to the more traditional approach, once which procedure will be more appropriate has been determined.  The supplies are essentially the same and my time is about the same. As such, I do not feel it appropriate to charge different fees, especially since I will have to start the surgery before I can make this determination. I think you should if possible know your price before I begin the surgery, even if I cannot determine the most appropriate procedure to perform before I begin. I cannot help but believe knowing you are getting paid more for one procedure or the other may influence some physician’s decision making process.