Monthly Archives: March 2018

General Information on Vasectomy Cost | Minnesota

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Vasectomy costs are usually affordable and often covered under health insurance plans in Minnesota. Typically, vasectomy costs will be in the range of $900 to $2000 in Minneapolis and St Paul areas, the suggested price range of a vasectomy includes your initial consultation, vasectomy procedure, and post semen analyses. The price can fluctuate based on where you live in Minnesota, the method of procedure, and other variables. Some clinics will include all of these in one price, while many may charge for each individually, so make sure to inquire about the price of consultation and post-op analysis when looking for potential doctors. In most cases, the cost is the same for the no-scalpel vasectomy or a conventional vasectomy.

Vasectomy costs may differ depending on where the procedure takes place. Getting one at a doctor’s office under local anesthesia is usually the cheapest, as hospitals or surgical centers, while still a valid option, may cost more due to anesthesia or facility fees. Vasectomy in men is significantly less expensive than tubal ligation in women, which may be as much as five times more costly. Generally, this is because tubal ligation is a more complex surgery, performed in a hospital or surgery center and requiring a general anesthesia. A vasectomy is simpler, safer office procedure.

Health insurance companies in Minnesota often cover vasectomy costs, but you should check it to make sure that your insurance company includes vasectomy benefits. Within the same company, some plans may cover and others may not. (Dr. Shu is a contracted provider under many plans offered by, among others, the following companies: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Medica, Preferred one, Select Care/Laborcare, United Healthcare.)

Your exact out-of-pocket cost will depend on your plan’s: , Co-payment, deductible, and coinsurance.

In addition, vasectomies are often a qualified health savings account (HSA) expense. If your insurance plan won’t pay for the procedure and you contribute to an HSA, you may be able to get reimbursed that way.

If you don’t have medical insurance or you have high deductible, One Stop Medical Center is your best choice since we charge very affordable price ($690 only) for the self-pay patients.

Understanding of the Risks, Complications, and Side Effects Related to Vasectomy Reversal Procedures

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Similar to Easy Vasectomy, the complications from Easy Vasectomy Reversal are rare because of minimal invasive approach, but any surgery carries some degree of risk. Vasectomy reversal is much longer and more complicated microsurgery than a vasectomy, it has a greater chance of side effects.

Most common vasectomy reversal complications include bleeding and infection following the procedure.

Anesthesia: Dr. Shu performs the vasectomy reversal under local anesthesia which avoids the risks and complications from general anesthesia. If it is performed under the intravenous sedation or general anesthesia, patients must be cleared medically prior to the surgery. Anesthesia-related complications include reaction to the anesthetic medications, breath diffculty, and cardiac problem.

Postoperative pain: The patients usually have mild or moderate pain for a few days after surgery. The pain can be managed with prescription narcotics or over-the-counter pain medications. The patients should avoid anti-inflammatory pain relievers (such as ibuprofen and aspirin) for the first 48 hours after the surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding, but Tylenol is fine to use. A small number of men experience long-term pain (more than three months) in the area of the scrotum or testicles after a reversal.

Hematoma (collection of blood): Bleeding under the skin that may cause scrotum area to look bruised, and bruise shows commonly in a few days after surgery, but pooled blood can be occasionally caused by bleeding in the surgery site inside the scrotum. The patients should report any unusual scrotal swelling and bruise to the surgeon.

Infections: Infection after vasectomy reversal is not common, and it occurs more common when there is a hematoma beneath the skin. Infection occurs in the wound or inside scrotum, can be treated with hematoma evacuation (I&D drainage) and antibiotics.

Hydrocele (Fluid Collection): Fluid can build up inside scrotum and cause swelling. This may resolve on its own, but may sometimes need to be drained with a needle. Check with a doctor if there is any unusual swelling.

Sperm granuloma: If sperms leak into the scrotum, the immune system can react to the sperm. The local tissue gradually forms an inflamed mass. It is much more common with vasectomy than vasectomy reversal. If it happens, it indicates that the vasectomy reversal is probably not successful.

Testicular atrophy: Testicular atrophy occurs when the blood supply of the testicle was injured, which results in permanent damage to that testicle. This can lead to scarring and dysfunction of testicle with diminished sperm and testosterone production. In general, the other testicle produces enough sperm and testosterone to compensate.

Low sperm count: After a vasectomy reversal, the initial sperm count might be lower than that before vasectomy. This may be caused by many factors such as scar tissue blocking the sperm in the connecting sites, or the reaction of the body’s immune system to the presence of sperm, or epididymal dysfuction.

Sexual difficulties: There is no physiological reason that a vasectomy or a vasectomy reversal should affect the patient’s sex drive, or their ability to have sex or an erection, but these procedures can occasionally cause significant psychological and emotional response in some men.

Why Procedure Clinic for Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal procedures | Minnesota

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1. No-scalpel and no needle technique that only requires one micro incision, which minimizes trauma, pain, and risk of complications, and it allayed many men’s fears with regard to the scalpel and needle

2. Local anesthesia: Not having to use general anesthesia or IV sedation greatly reduces the risks associated with it.

3. High success rate: The success rates of our operations are up there with the best, thanks to the extensive past surgical experience and high volume practice.

4. High quality, personalized medical care: Being in an office allows for a more personal, patient oriented approach. Our team of professional and friendly staff go the extra mile to ensure patient satisfaction.

5. Enjoy an accredited, private surgical center with a premium clinic environment.

6. Affordability: At $690 for a vasectomy and $2741, an all inclusive price, for a vasectomy reversal, our prices are only a fraction of the cost of the same procedure done in a hospital or public surgical center. We do not charge facility fees or anesthesia fees.

7. Website: Our website is full of information and resources for prospective patients. For those that want to learn more about the procedures, our practice, and our mission, our site is the right place to be!

8. Online Registration: Using online registration makes scheduling appointments convenient and easy!

9. We offer consultations on the same day as the surgery and the phone consultation.

10. One trip system: An initial face-to-face consultation is no longer required. We also developed a mailer system to eliminate another trip for patients. This is especially good for those that live far away or out-of-state.

11. Only 10 Minutes from the Minneaplios-St Paul airport (MSP)

12. Located in the famous high end town of Edina, France Avenue is enriched with hospitals, medical offices, commercial and business centers, as well as hotels.

Why Should You Get No-scalpel Vasectomy Instead of Tubal Ligation | Minnesota

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There are a lot of people out there that are trying not to have kids. In fact, there are so many people trying not to have kids that there’s a global market worth tens of billions of dollars. These include condoms, the pill, spermicide, IUDs, diaphragms, implants, and many more. Most of these are very effective, but none of them are permanent, and they are subject to human errors (e.g. forgot to take the pill, forgot a condom, incorrect diaphragm placement). Hormonal birth controls often cause a myriad of side effects for women, including menstrual pain, acne, nausea, weight gain, decreased libido, vaginal discharge, mood changes, and the list goes on.

For couples that do not wish to have kids in the future, what options are available? Well, there are two main forms of permanent birth control: vasectomy and tubal ligation.

If you’re reading this, you probably already know what a vasectomy is. But in case you don’t, vasectomy is a procedure in which the tube that transports sperm from the vas deferens to the urethra, the vas deferens, is surgically severed and the ends are blocked off, preventing any sperm from entering the semen. Vasectomies are permanent procedures, so it will last your entire life, though they are reversible depending on the time passed since the vasectomy. If you’re considering a vasectomy it’s important to be absolutely sure that you want it.

The refined no-scalpel Easy Vasectomy® with no needle and no suture techniques minimizes trauma, pain and complications. New and minimal invasive vasectomy techniques have successfully allayed many men’s fears with regard to the scalpel.

In a tubal ligation, often known as “having your tubes tied”, the doctor will sever and block off the fallopian tubes which transport the egg from the ovaries to the uterus. Like vasectomy, it is a permanent procedure. Either of these options will prevent a baby from entering your life, but which is the better options?

If you guessed vasectomy, you’re completely right. For one, tubal ligation is far more labor intensive and invasive. A surgeon must make two small cuts in the abdomen and use what is called a laparoscope to severe and close up the ends of the fallopian tubes. A tubal ligation must be done in the hospital, may require several hours or an overnight stay in the hospital, while a vasectomy can be done in the office in under 10 minutes. Most men can return to work within 48 hours but women who undergo tubal ligation may require four to seven days. Not to mention that tubal ligation costs at least $5,000 to $8,500 on average.

Side effects and complications are also more likely with tubal ligation. This includes nausea, vomiting, infection, bleeding, bruising and side effects from anesthesia. With vasectomies, especially no-scalpel vasectomies, there are minimal side effects (mild pain and bruising) and complications such as hematoma and infection are exceedingly rare, since the procedure is minimally invasive. The failure rate is 0.02%-0.2% for vasectomy while the failure rate for tubal ligation is 0.73%-1.85%. Despite this two thirds of couples still opt for the tubal ligation.

While both of these methods are effective, it’s clear that vasectomies are safer, quicker, more convenient, and less costly than a tubal ligation. In our patriarchal society we often place much of the responsibility of birth control on the woman’s shoulder, despite the fact that doing so is less ideal. It’s time we make a change.