What does the operation cost? | How can a vasectomy be reversed?

What does the operation cost?

The costs for a refertilization with a specialist are about 2000-3000€. This makes the operation significantly more expensive than the previous vasectomy. This is because a vasovasostomy is a more complex procedure that requires more time, equipment and expertise.

Special, expensive suture material for microsurgical operations is used to reconnect the two stumps of the vas deferens, as well as a surgical microscope. The procedure takes about two hours, which is more than four times as long as a vasectomy. In addition to the surgeon, the presence of an anesthesiologist is also necessary for general anesthesia.

Due to the anesthesia, the patient must be monitored for a longer period of time after the surgery, which also costs time and money. All these things add up and make refertilization a costly affair. This is not the only reason why a vasectomy should be well-considered and ideally final.

Does the health insurance company bear the costs?

No, the costs for a refertilization are not covered by health insurance. Both vasectomy and vasovasostomy are procedures performed voluntarily and without medical necessity. Therefore, the health insurance companies do not see themselves in a position to cover the costs. In rare cases where a man’s infertility is not due to a vasectomy, but rather to, for example, inflammation-related scarring of the spermatic ducts, refertilization may possibly be covered by a private health insurance company, provided that fertility treatments are part of the tariff. In the case of statutory health insurance, coverage is almost always excluded.

What is the probability of success?

The probability of success of a refertilization depends on several factors. As this is not a trivial operation, it should be performed by a surgeon specialized in this field to maximize the chance of success. Also, the length of time it has been since the vasectomy has an impact on the chance of being able to father children again.

The longer it is, the more the chances of success decrease. There are, however, regular cases in which vasectomies more than ten years ago have been successfully reversed. As a rule, doctors are shy of giving figures for a probability of success. There are, however, statements in which 80-95% success is mentioned.