A study to assess the prevalence of chronic testicular pain in post-vasectomy men compared to non-vasectomised men.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of chronic post-vasectomy testicular pain (CPTP) compared to the prevalence of chronic testicular pain in a control population of non-vasectomised men.


METHODS
A retrospective postal study of 198 men who had a vasectomy more than 3 years previously at the Palatine Centre to determine the incidence of CPTP, of whom 101 (51%) replied (mean age 40.4 years, range 29-54 years, mean time since vasectomy 46.5 months). A control group of 102 men (mean age 40.2 years, range 28-55 years) who had not had a vasectomy were obtained via patients attending the community family planning clinics or associated general practitioner (GP) services in the same geographical area.


RESULTS
Occasional non-troublesome discomfort was reported by 37/101 of the post-vasectomy men compared to 21/102 of the control group. Occasional discomfort which was a nuisance was felt by 10/101 of the post-vasectomy group compared with 3/102 of the control group, and 6/101 in the post-vasectomy group reported pain severe enough to seek medical advice compared to only 2/102 controls. None of the post-vasectomy men regretted having had the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Only 6% of cases (compared to 2% of controls) experienced pain severe enough to seek medical advice in the 3-4-year post-operative period. However, there was a significant difference in the prevalence of occasional testicular discomfort between post-vasectomy men and controls. Mostly these pains were not regarded as troublesome, however men attending for vasectomy counselling should be informed of the possibility of this morbidity.
Morris
Caroline
C
University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Mishra
K
K
Kirkman
R J E
RJ
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003153:Community Health Services; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005193:Family Planning Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014659:Vasectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*