The potential risks are similar to any minor procedure:

• Bleeding of the scrotum, in the semen, a local blood clot or bruising of the scrotum
• Infection of the surgical site with possible discomfort and/or swelling
• Rarely, fluid buildup within the scrotum, chronic discomfort or inflammation, development of an abnormal cyst may form.
• Very rarely, the vasectomy may fail resulting in pregnancy.

The basic steps of a vasectomy are:

• Local anesthesia and a preparation of the scrotal skin with a topical antiseptic
• A small puncture-type incision is made in each side of the scrotum
• The small tube (vas deferens) which transports the sperm is identified on each side, severed (with some surgeons removing a segment to make the ends of the tube distant from each other) and the ends of the tube sealed by cautery or stitching. The skin incisions are then closed.

A vasectomy does not provide immediate protection against pregnancy as it may take several months and up to 20 ejaculates to clear the present sperm. A semen analysis is performed six to twelve weeks after surgery to microscopically determine that no sperm is present. During this time, other methods of birth control must be used. Also, a vasectomy will not protect against any infectious disease transmission between the partners even after the six-to-twelve-week analysis is performed.