At San Diego Vasectomy Center, we recognize that patients have many choices to make when it comes to selecting a vasectomy clinic. While you’re researching your options it’s important to know which questions to ask. Here is a list of questions to ask the prospective physician you are interviewing at a vasectomy clinic.
Board Certifications & Qualifications
- Are you board certified in family medicine?
- Are you board certified in general surgery?
Here’s Why: Doctors performing vasectomies are often board certified in family medicine or general surgery. While legally they can perform vasectomies, they lack microsurgical training specific to the male reproductive tract. This is not an area of surgery that you should leave to chance. When choosing a physician, look for a doctor that is 1) board certified in urology 2) has specialized training in male fertility 3) has microsurgical training and 4) is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Experience Level & Expertise
- How many vasectomy procedures do you perform each year?
Here’s Why: Some doctors only perform a few vasectomy procedures each year. Dr. Bastuba performs 4-7 vasectomy surgeries each week, amounting to over 300 surgeries per year. During surgery, sometimes unexpected situations can arise. Therefore, it makes sense to work with the most experienced surgeon available. While a vasectomy is a routine procedure, choosing your doctor should not be taken lightly.
Quality Control Questions
- Will the doctor perform each step of my surgery? Will any medical students or fellows be involved?
- Where will the surgery take place?
Here’s Why: In order to become a doctor specializing in a specific field, medical students and fellows need training. However, you don’t want their training to happen during your surgery. Dr. Bastuba never uses medical students or fellows during vasectomy surgeries. He does everything, from start to finish. It is also important that a premier medical suite is used with support from experienced staff.
Pain and Anxiety Management
- What does the doctor suggest/prescribe/offer for patients who are extremely nervous, anxious, or sensitive to pain?
Here’s Why: Many people get nervous and/or tense prior to and during the surgical procedure–which is completely understandable and normal. Some physicians may prescribe a mild anti-anxiety or sedative prior to the surgery. While these medicines do work, some patients prefer to avoid taking medicine, or some medicines may have no effect or too much effect on a certain person. Also, if a sedative is taken, the patient will need someone to drive him.
San Diego Vasectomy Center offers nitrous oxide to vasectomy patients. Nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas), helps patients to remain calm and relaxed during the procedure. Preoperative anxiety and stress are exceedingly common and can lead to tension during the procedure, increasing the potential for post-operative pain.
The nitrous oxide is self-administered so that the patient may increase or decrease the delivery as needed. Given that nitrous oxide is metabolized by the body rather quickly, the patient may even drive himself home after.
This is not a common amenity in a medical doctor’s office due to lack of demand. However, because Dr. Bastuba performs so many vasectomy procedures, he is able to offer this add-on service to better serve his patients.
Leave a Reply