The article by Amanda Davies and Charlotte Fleming[1] describes what
we have been practising for many years.
We have run a direct access service dealing with over 4000 patients.
The service has been well received with 96% of a sample grading it as good
or excellent.[2]
We do not see the need for a preoperative consultation and agree with
the authors that this does not add any quality to the service or the
patient journey. Advice and information provided by the referring general
practitioner is considered adequate.
In our service, when the patient attends on the day a short
discussion takes place with the patient and with the partner if present.
This discussion touches upon complications including pain, natural
reversal rate of the procedure, postoperative seminal fluid analysis and
the need for continuing contraception after surgery. Most, if not all,
patients are adequately informed when they attend. This process aids
informed consent.
However, the need for a preoperative consultation is advised in the
following circumstances: (1) in patients who have had inguino-scrotal
surgery (e.g. for undescended testis, hernia repair, excision of
hydrocele, etc.) and (2) a repeat procedure following failure of vasectomy
or vasectomy after reversal. In these situations it is useful to know if
the vas is palpable, not surrounded by dense fibrous tissue and hence
exteriorised relatively easily under local anaesthesia.
References
1. Davies A, Fleming C. Vasectomy: replacing the preoperative
outpatient appointment with a DVD. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2013.
doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2013-100584.
2. Menon NK. Patient satisfaction with a direct access vasectomy
service. Br J Fam Plann 1998;24:105-106.
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
The article by Amanda Davies and Charlotte Fleming[1] describes what we have been practising for many years.
We have run a direct access service dealing with over 4000 patients. The service has been well received with 96% of a sample grading it as good or excellent.[2]
We do not see the need for a preoperative consultation and agree with the authors that this does not add any quality to the service or the patient journey. Advice and information provided by the referring general practitioner is considered adequate.
In our service, when the patient attends on the day a short discussion takes place with the patient and with the partner if present. This discussion touches upon complications including pain, natural reversal rate of the procedure, postoperative seminal fluid analysis and the need for continuing contraception after surgery. Most, if not all, patients are adequately informed when they attend. This process aids informed consent.
However, the need for a preoperative consultation is advised in the following circumstances: (1) in patients who have had inguino-scrotal surgery (e.g. for undescended testis, hernia repair, excision of hydrocele, etc.) and (2) a repeat procedure following failure of vasectomy or vasectomy after reversal. In these situations it is useful to know if the vas is palpable, not surrounded by dense fibrous tissue and hence exteriorised relatively easily under local anaesthesia.
References
1. Davies A, Fleming C. Vasectomy: replacing the preoperative outpatient appointment with a DVD. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2013. doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2013-100584.
2. Menon NK. Patient satisfaction with a direct access vasectomy service. Br J Fam Plann 1998;24:105-106.
Conflict of Interest:
None declared