Can a man with a kidney transplant safely have a vasectomy?

March 4, 2012 8:29 PM

My partner received a kidney transplant 8 years ago because of a congenital condition affecting only his kidneys. He is now 32, healthy and gets regularly checked by his nephrologist. Before even bringing up the idea of a vasectomy up to my partner to get his thoughts, I want to know if the idea is even safe.
posted by AONeal79 to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

IANAD(Y), but as far as I know, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, unless his scrotal anatomy has been radically changed due to the transplant, or there's some pre-existing anatomical abnormality. Some less experienced practitioners might feel less comfortable doing the procedure, especially given that your partner may be immunosuppressed and more likely to develop infections, but my hunch is that an experienced urologist wouldn't consider it too big a deal.
posted by greatgefilte at 8:39 PM on March 4, 2012

This is really a question for a doctor. If you don't want to ask his doctor, you can ask your own - she or he may be able to give you a referral to someone that can give you as close to a definitive answer as will exist.
posted by kavasa at 8:55 PM on March 4, 2012

This is definitely a question you need to ask a doctor; run it by his transplant coordinator. I suspect the answer will be dependent on the risk of infection, which means that the amount and type of immunosuppression your husband is on will matter.
posted by k8lin at 9:12 PM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]

I can't imagine that his transplant status could possibly affect his getting snipped. If he's not currently experiencing any issues with his medications I doubt he has anything to worry about.

This said, you should be able to bring this up regardless if I am right or any other the others answering this). Who cares? At the point a doctor tells you this is a concern, then you have an issue to discuss. Until then, proceed as though he's a normal man with normal concerns.
posted by cjorgensen at 9:22 PM on March 4, 2012

My dad had a vasectomy 25+ years ago, and a kidney transplant 5 years ago. Other way around, but it wasn't an issue in the slightest, as far as I know.
posted by mollymayhem at 10:18 PM on March 4, 2012

There is a chance for infection with any surgery, which is increased by his anti-rejection regimen, so only his transplant team can say for sure if it's a bad idea or not. In general, I don't suspect there would be any more risk of infection than, say, a fistula surgery (which I'm sure kidney transplant patients have much more often) or dental work. He'll just need more (specific) antibiotics.

Again, only his transplant team can give the go ahead, but I doubt there's anything specific about a kidney transplant that would contraindicate a vasectomy.

I'm a well-read dialysis patient awaiting a transplant myself.
posted by WasabiFlux at 10:34 PM on March 4, 2012 [1 favorite]