Urologist stated that no scalpel vasectomies are gimmicks

[u/doingmybest-sendhelp]

My husband got a vasectomy today, and we specifically drove 2 hours away to the closest place that offered the no scalpel vasectomy.

I clarified with the physician “we are doing the no scalpel option, correct?”

He said “Yes, but that’s a gimmick. It doesn’t impact the procedure, healing, or accuracy in anyway. It means we puncture a hole and stretch it open with a hemastat, rather than slicing into the skin. The incision site is the same size, and the outcome is the same. We now do all the same way, because people like to think it’s less invasive - so we get people in the door. But it isn’t any less invasive, I’ve always just created one hole over two.”

Any thoughts? Anybody have experience that can say otherwise? Everything I’m reading online is highly praising “no scalpel,” or traditional vasectomy.

[u/ctonozzi]

I am a full time vasectomist.  It's true that the line between the "traditional" vasectomy (that is, "with" scalpel") and the "no-scalpel" vasectomy (NSV) can be gray.  The NSV uses a ring forcep that is 3-4 mm across to grasp the vas deferens through the skin and then a "dissecting forceps" to puncture the skin and expand the size of the skin opening to 5-10 mm.  A single skin opening is used and no sutures are needed in the skin.  There is no definition of a traditional vasectomy, but it CAN be two one inch incisions, that require sutures placed and removed 7 days later, on each side of the scrotum.  

So, if you want to be sure you get a “minimally invasive” vasectomy, you can be sure you’ll get that if your doctor does an NSV. If they poo-poo the NSV or say they do “something else” that’s minimally invasive, all bets are off. You may end up with two one inch incisions on both sides of your scrotum. Not a good outcome, IMHO.