There is a small chance that a vasectomy may fail. This occurs when sperm leaking from one end of the cut vas deferens find a channel to the other cut end.

Yes, but if you haven't stored frozen sperm you'll need an additional procedure. The vas deferens can be microsurgically reconnected in a procedure called vasectomy reversal. If you don't want to have vasectomy reversal, sperm can be taken from the testicle or the epididymis and used for in vitro fertilization. These procedures are costly and may not be covered by your health plan. Also, they don't always work. If you think you may want to have children one day, you should look into nonsurgical forms of birth control before deciding to have a vasectomy.

In rare cases, the testicular artery may be hurt during vasectomy. Other problems, such as a mass of blood (hematoma) or infection, may also affect the testicles. 

A varicocele is when veins become enlarged inside your scrotum (the pouch of skin that holds your testicles). These veins are called the pampiniform plexus. Ten to 15 of every 100 males have a varicocele. It is like getting a varicose vein in your leg.

Not treating a varicocele may result in the testicle shrinking and/or a drop in semen quality. This may lead to fertility problems, though this is rare. The varicocele may, over time, cause lasting harm to the testicle that can't be fixed. If a semen analysis is normal, then it's okay not to get treated. If the semen analysis isn't normal, then action is called for. In some men, the "varicocele effect" on making sperm may get worse over time. Fertility issues may come up years later, even if not seen earlier.

Treatment of teenagers depends on each case. It's important to discuss options with a urologist or pediatric urologist. Varicocele repair in a teen may be considered if there is pain or if 1 testicle is more than 10% smaller than the other. Some families choose repair so they won't have to worry about fertility issues in the future. Semen analyses can be done in older teens to see if repair would help.

As a rule, varicoceles with no symptoms aren't repaired. Most health care providers don't believe these varicoceles cause health problems if not treated. If there's worry about fertility, semen analysis can be done to see if the varicocele is harming sperm quality.

Supporting the scrotum with a jockstrap or briefs-style underwear can help varicocele pain. Lying on your back helps the varicocele drain, and often eases pain. Taking pain killers (such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen) may also help. You can also talk with your urologist about varicocele repair.

Semen analyses are often done every 3 to 4 months after the procedure. Improvement is often seen within 6 months, but might take a year.

During routine visits to your health care provider, you are often asked to give a urine sample for testing. Many tests are done routinely, like checking for sugar (diabetes), bacteria (infection) and blood. Blood in the urine that you do not see is called "microscopic hematuria." This blood is only visible under a microscope. There are many causes and most are not serious, but may call for care by your health care provider.