Short-term morbidity following No-Scalpel Vasectomy: an assessment of clients' perceptions by novel postcard system.
OBJECTIVE
Data on short-term (within a week) morbidity of No-Scalpel Vasectomy (NSV) is lacking. We studied clients' perceptions of early post-vasectomy morbidity by self innovated postcard pictorial questionnaire.


METHODS
Between March 2011 and April 2012, 821 men underwent NSV and provided pre-printed revalidated pictorial postcards depicting various grades of severity of local pain, swelling, and bleeding. Clients were asked to tick mark their problems and post them on the third day after NSV. Data were compiled and statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
Completed postcards were returned by 702 clients (85.5%). 25 postcards were excluded due to illegitimate filling of card. About 80.8% of clients complained of pain and minimal, moderate and severe pain was experienced by 77.69%, 18.09% and 4.20%, respectively. 16.24% of clients observed local swelling, which was minimal in 90.9%, moderate and severe in 7.27% and 1.81% of cases. 2.95% of clients noted mild bloody discharge. Most of clients managed their problems by following the instructions given in postcards; level 1 and 2 morbidity did not affect their daily activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Early morbidity after NSV is usually mild in severity and easily manageable. The postcard system is a feasible, effective, and economical way of collecting data and managing short-term post NSV problems.
Department of Urology, King George Medical University, (also, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University), Lucknow - India.
Manish
M
Garg
Deepansh
D
Dalela
Divakar
D
Dalela
Apul
A
Goel
Manoj
M
Kumar
Sagarika
S
Paul
Sachin
S
Patil
Satya Narayan
SN
Sankhwar
D000328:Adult; D004487:Edema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D000067010:Literacy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011177:Postal Service / Q000191:economics; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014659:Vasectomy / Q000379:methods*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale