Vasectomy Reversal in Lake Success, New York (NY)

Vasectomy reversal is surgery which aims to restore male fertility by re-attaching the ends of the vas deferens (the tube which carries sperm from the testicle to the urethra) which were severed during the original vasectomy. Vasectomy reversal does not guarantee that you will be able to father a child; success rates vary, with your greatest chance of success occurring within 3 years of the original vasectomy.

Your urologist will perform one of two types of vasectomy reversal. If your doctor does not predict any complications, the more straight-forward vasectomy reversal procedure is known as a vasovasostomy. If your doctor suspects there might be a blockage in the vas deferens a more complicated procedure called a vasoepididymostomy will be performed.

The Vasectomy Reversal Procedure

Your vasectomy reversal will be performed under general anesthesia. The scrotum is shaved and sterilized, and your doctor will make an incision on the front side of the scrotum so that the vas deferens can be drawn and lifted out. At this point your doctor will collect fluid from your scrotum to examine under a microscope.

Depending on whether sperm is present in the fluid, your doctor may choose one of two types of vasectomy reversals:

Vasovasostomy is performed if the fluid contains sperm and is clear. In this procedure, your doctor will sew the ends of the vas deferens back together in a single or multiple layers. The vas is then placed back into the scrotum and the incisions are sutured.

Vasoepididymostomy is another type of vasectomy reversal that your doctor will perform if the scrotal fluid is pasty or there are no sperm present, signaling that a secondary blockage in the vas deferens has occurred after the original vasectomy. In this procedure, your doctor will connect the cut end of the vas deferens directly to the epididymis using micro-stitches. This procedure is more complex than the vasovasostomy and will take more time.

On average, a vasovasostomy can take between 2- 3 hours to perform. The more complicated vasoepididymostomy can take up to 4 hours to perform. Both vasectomy reversal procedures can be performed in an outpatient setting, and you will likely go home the same day as the procedure.Talk to your urologist about your chances of success with a vasectomy reversal procedure.

Talk to your urologist about your chances of success with a vasectomy reversal procedure.


About Bruce R. Gilbert, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Bruce R. Gilbert is a Urologist who has been in Private Practice in Great Neck, Long Island, New York for the past 22 years. He specializes in complex microsurgical procedures for male fertility and male prosthetic surgery.  He also treats both men and women with sexual function concerns. Aiming to shape the minds of future physicians, Dr. Gilbert is Professor of Urology at the Hofstra North Shore LIJ Medical School and the Director of Reproductive and Sexual Medicine at the Smith Institute for Urology of the North Shore LIJ Health System.

Dr. Gilbert has authored over 100 publications and is recognized as an expert in Male Fertility and Urologic Ultrasound. He is passionate about Urologic education and has organized training programs in microsurgery and urologic ultrasound. In addition, he lectures locally, nationally and internationally on various urological topics. He is the Chairman of the AUA’s National Urologic Ultrasound Faculty and a member of the AUA’s Urologic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Imaging Committee.


Dr. Gilbert completed his medical degree in 1983 at Cornell University Medical College and Urology Residency at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center.  Prior to that he completed a Doctorate (Ph.D.) at the New York Medical College followed by postdoctoral work in Renal Physiology supported by the New York Heart Association in the Department of Physiology at Cornell University Medical College.

Dr. Gilbert’s private practice for the past 20 years has specialized in male reproductive and sexual medicine and surgery including male prosthetic surgery.  He is a highly experienced microsurgeon, having performed over 1000 microsurgical procedures including vasectomy reversals, microsurgical varicocele ligation and microsurgical testicular sperm retrieval. In addition, quite notably, he was also one of the first Urologists in the region to perform the no-needle, no-scalpel vasectomy. 

Dr. Gilbert also serves as the Medical and Laboratory Director of New York Cryo, one of the few long term reproductive tissue banks for sperm, oocytes and embryos in the region. Dr. Gilbert gained national prominence for his use of Holistic approaches for the treatment of chronic Urologic problems. A fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, Dr. Gilbert is certified by the American Board of Urology and the American Board of Medical Acupuncture. He serves as a reviewer for many Urological, Reproductive Medicine and Complementary Medicine Journals. At the top of his game, he has been selected as one of “America’s Top Physicians” and is listed in the “Guide to America’s Top Physicians” published by the Consumers’ Research Council of America, Washington, DC. 

Featured Specialist for Vasectomy Reversal in Lake Success, NY

Bruce R. Gilbert, M.D., Ph.D.

Call Now: (516) 342-7229
450 Lakeville Road
Suite M41
Lake Success, NY 11040

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