Vasectomy,
quicker and easier than you think.
One of the safest and most effective forms of permanent birth control. We'll answer your questions, explain every step, and get you back to your routine fast.
Considering a vasectomy?
Simple, effective,
safe.
A vasectomy is a very satisfactory method of birth control for those who don't want to have more children. It is simple, effective, safe and inexpensive. The one major drawback is that it should be thought of as permanent: only 50 to 60 percent can be reversed with a second operation.
Our board-certified urologists perform minimally invasive vasectomies Monday to Friday in our Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint offices, and we offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for a calmer, more comfortable procedure.
What to know
Nothing changes
but the birth control.
- Done in the office with a local anesthetic, in under 30 minutes
- No change to erection, orgasm or sex drive, and your hormone levels stay the same
- Most men return to normal activity within 7 days, and to a desk job in 1 to 2 days
- Use other birth control until a semen analysis shows zero sperm, usually after about six weeks
- Complications are rare: an occasional patient has minor swelling or an infection, usually simple to treat
Watch
What happens
during a vasectomy.
Several points should be clearly understood about the procedure. This short video walks through how it works.
How it works
A little anatomy,
made simple.
Sperm cells start in the testicles, collect in the epididymis, travel through the vas deferens and are stored near the prostate. The prostate makes the fluid that carries sperm, and that fluid is about 95 percent of what's ejaculated. Sperm adds only about 5 percent.
When the vas deferens is cut and tied, sperm cells collect, die and are absorbed by the body. The amount of fluid at ejaculation stays nearly the same. A slight chance exists of the vas deferens growing back together, but this happens in less than 1 percent of men.
It's ok to laugh
It's ok to laugh
about your vasectomy.
North Idaho Urology offers nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for a calmer, more comfortable vasectomy.
Forms and guides
Before and after
your vasectomy.
Read these before your visit. After your procedure, the at-home vasectomy test kit confirms it worked.
- Vasectomy consentRead and sign before your procedure.PDF · 2 pagesDownload
- After your vasectomyCare instructions for the days after your procedure.PDF · 1 pageDownload
- Vasectomy brochureWhat to expect, answers to common questions, and before and after care.PDF · 2 pagesDownload
- No-scalpel vasectomy brochureHow the no-scalpel method works.PDF · 2 pagesDownload
How permanent is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy causes permanent sterilization. Vasectomy reversal has a 50 to 60 percent success rate.
Will I feel pain during a vasectomy?
This is unlikely, since a local anesthetic is given at the beginning of the procedure.
Do you provide general anesthetic for a vasectomy?
No, but we do offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is very effective in relieving anxiety and easing discomfort.
Once the vasectomy is done, am I sterile right away?
No. A vasectomy isn't effective until the sperm beyond where the vas deferens was cut have emptied out, which takes about six weeks for most patients. Use another form of birth control until a zero sperm count is confirmed by a semen analysis.
Will a vasectomy change my sexual function or sex drive?
No. There is no change to sexual function, including erection and orgasm, and no change to testosterone level or sex drive.
When can I return to work and normal activity after a vasectomy?
Most patients return to normal activity within 7 days. Most patients who don't do heavy lifting at work return in 1 to 2 days.
Request an appointment
Ready to talk
about a vasectomy?
Send a request and our scheduling team will call you to find a time that works. Prefer the phone? Call the office closest to you.
- Coeur d'Alene(208) 667-0621Open every weekday, 8 am to 5 pm
- Post Falls(208) 618-3601Days and hours vary
- Sandpoint(208) 263-2335Days and hours vary
- Quick question?Answers any time, day or night.