Male sterilization.
This review of recent information and advances in the area of male sterilization deals with recent epidemiologic studies that discuss potential ill effects hypothesized to be a result of vasectomy, including carcinoma of the prostate and carcinoma of the testicle. Rebuttals to these hypotheses are presented. Recent advances in techniques of vasectomy including the "no-scalpel" vasectomy technique and open-ended vasectomy are presented, including the rationale for their use. A good deal of attention is given to postvasectomy follow-up, particularly the use of the technique of measuring numbers of ejaculations following vasectomy rather than the period of time afterward to determine when a man is sterile. The final two sections deal with complications of vasectomy and the most recent percentages on reversing vasectomy with particular reference to return of sperm to the ejaculate and pregnancy rates.