Should a vasectomy regularly lead to an infection or abscess? My son-in-law has experienced complications after his surgery. I keep telling him to go to another doctor. Don’t you agree? He thinks I am being an alarmist.
Infections and abscesses are not routine after vasectomies. Many men experience only minor discomfort after the surgery, especially if they follow the post-surgical guidelines.
Normal post-vasectomy complications may be a small amount of swelling, bruising or pain in the scrotal area. There may also be some mild after-effects from the local anesthesia, such as headache, nausea or constipation. All these symptoms should subside in a few days. A slight achiness in the testicles may continue for a few weeks.
In the article linked below, Planned Parenthood says mild infections occur about 7 percent of the time and abscesses, only rare. Other signs of infection are redness, swelling, warmth or pain at the incision site. These signs do require a doctor’s attention. Infection can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
Should your son-in-law see another doctor? Not necessarily. It is hard for me to know exactly what the issues are. There is always a remote possibility that he is not receiving proper care — in which case he should see another doctor. Most likely, though, he has either neglected to call the doctor or is under treatment already. If he hasn’t yet contacted his doctor, show him the article below and encourage him to call immediately.