Less-invasive Pro-Vas occlusion shows promise for permanent male sterilization

Jun 9 2011

A new clinical study presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting shows the less-invasive Pro-Vas® occlusion as a highly promising method of permanent male sterilization.

The clinical study results were presented by Douglas A. Swartz, M.D., to a physician audience at the AUA Annual Meeting. The AUA meeting is the world's largest gathering of urologists each year. Dr. Swartz is a private-practice urologist in Jacksonville, Fla. He served as lead investigator for the 15-month clinical study that involved 29 patients.

Dr. Swartz said the Pro-Vas technique is the least invasive – and most effective – form of vasectomy available to men today.

More than 500,000 vasectomies are performed annually in the United States. Traditional vasectomy involves the cutting and cauterizing of both sperm ducts, which causes pain and swelling post surgery. The new Pro-Vas occlusion technique studied by Dr. Swartz, on the other hand, utilizes an easy-to-apply, titanium spring ligation clip that stops the flow of sperm without the need to cut or burn the sperm ducts.

In addition to its initial high effectiveness rate, Pro-Vas also was noted to result in less post-procedure pain and quicker return to normal activities compared with traditional vasectomy. Additionally, there were no complications following Pro-Vas occlusions, but it is acknowledged the number of patients is not sufficient to provide statistically significant results.

"The Pro-Vas occlusion technique has the potential to simplify and standardize the vasectomy technique," Dr. Swartz said. "It may provide less experienced vasectomy surgeons a means for achieving clinical results similar to those of experienced surgeons. The Pro-Vas technique also spares sacrificing the vasal artery."

Dr. Swartz added that there should be a lower recanalization rate with the Pro-Vas method because the spring ligation clip cannot dislodge or ever lose its constant low-pressure occlusion force. Additionally, the clip is designed not to apply so much pressure that tissue death (necrosis) results – a situation that sometimes occurs with other types of ligatures.

"Should the patient ever change his mind with regard to his vasectomy, reversal of the Pro-Vas procedure should be much easier as the clip is very easy to identify and dissection to find the two occluded ends of the vas will be much simpler," Dr. Swartz said.

Patient acceptance may be higher with the Pro-Vas occlusion technique than traditional vasectomy because overall quality of the outcomes may be improved, according to Dr. Swartz.

"If these hypotheses are later confirmed by additional clinical studies, then there may be significant economies for the healthcare system at-large to be gained from Pro-Vas," Dr. Swartz concluded.