: Many men in Minnesota wonder if any vasectomy alternatives are available in the future. Yes, a simpler, reversible vasectomy alternative is in the works at the Parsemus Foundation in California. This works by injecting a gel into the vas deferens, blocking it and preventing sperm from entering the ejeculate. The difference is that another dissolving gel can be injected that restores fertility by removing the original gel barrier.
The technology was tested on rhesus macaques monkeys who were allowed to mate for two years after the gel was injected, and in the that time no monkeys were birthed. In the words of Dr. Colagross-Schouten: “We were impressed that this alternative worked in every single monkey, even though this was our first time trying it.”
Gel functions like a reversible vasectomy, blocking or filtering out sperm. It is made from a dense web of molecules that form a viscous barrier in the vas deferens. The resulting gel implant remains in a soft gel-like state that allows water-soluble molecules to pass but not larger structures such as spermatozoa. This quality is thought to be a benefit for preventing back-pressure on sperm storage areas, which helps to reduce “blow out” in the epididymis.
The whole process of procedure will be almost same as the no scalpel vasectomy. A small amount of local anesthesia is placed into the scrotal skin and around the vas deferens. A tiny puncture is made with a pointy hemostat in the numbed area of scrotal skin. The vas deferens are then secured and pulled out with a ring clamp through the small opening. The surrounding fascia is stripped with a sharp instrument to expose the vas deferens, and the gel was injected in the lumen of vas deferens. The complications of post bleeding and hematoma are expected to be lower.
Since tests in monkeys were successful, human trials will begin shortly. Pretty soon, this alternative vasectomy method may be available across the globe which come with the benefits of vasectomy, but are easily reversible.
