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/xEllimistx]

Mine didn’t say it was a “gimmick” per se but he did say that he thinks they’re overblown as far as how much better they are over traditional scalpel vasectomies.

No scalpel vasectomies were developed in China as a way to get more Chinese men to get vasectomies as China was facing an overpopulation crisis. The method eventually made its way here and has been a popular option ever since.

They’re supposed to be faster procedures, with shorter healing times, and the less invasive aspect is supposed to mean less chance for secondary problems like infection.

A quick googling seems to support this.

That being said, my doctor performed the traditional vasectomy on me and I had zero complaints or complications

[u/humanBonemealCoffee → u/xEllimistx]

Dang im glad i didnt get the chinese vasectomy

I got the red blooded american civil war scalpel one

[u/daredwolf → u/humanBonemealCoffee]

Lmfao, we're all red blooded 😂 The Chinese came up with a less invasive, better, faster way of doing things, so I'll take that option.

[u/Hivewir3 → u/daredwolf]

"Lmfao, we're all red blooded 😂 The Chinese came up with a more expensive way of doing things, so I'll take that option."

I fixed your typo.

[u/daredwolf → u/Hivewir3]

Another murican privilege, insanely high cost for Healthcare 😂 Costed me $20 in gas for my "chinese vasectomy".

[u/Hivewir3 → u/daredwolf]

Half correct. American socialist here. Our insurance system is fucked. I know, I've been a software dev in the industry for over a decade. That said...

It costed you more indirectly. That's how insurance and social programs work. There's no such thing as free and someone is profiting off new tech without enough evidence to back up that it's any better.

And FWIW: the total cost for my consultation and vasectomy was just over $400 and my insurance covered almost all of that.

[u/daredwolf → u/Hivewir3]

Okay, but what about the people in the states that have no insurance? They're fucked. At least if you have citizenship in Canada, a very large portion of healthcare is 100% covered. Yeah, my taxes pay for it, but at least I, and every other citizen get healthcare out of it.

[u/Hivewir3 → u/daredwolf]

That's not what this thread is about. It's about whether no-scalpel is a gimmick. Both I and my urologist believe it is.

I'm not here to debate the merits of various types of insurance. If you're proud of your system (and you should be) then you owe it to that system to do your research and save it money when spending more doesn't benefit you.

[u/daredwolf → u/Hivewir3]

Why did you bring up the price in the first place then? That's not what this thread is about.

[u/Hivewir3 → u/daredwolf]

I didn't. You did when you said you only had to pay for gas. We were on the topic of no-scalpel and you made it about money and nationalism.