THE ESSENTIAL
- Vasovasostomy is the opposite operation to vasectomy: it consists in reconnecting the vas deferens.
- In 2018, 9,240 men underwent vasectomy in France.
It’s a medical error with dire consequences. In the United States, a four-year-old boy underwent a vasectomy instead of surgery for a hernia in the groin, the area between the abdomen and thighs, according to news site Fox 4 News.
“This doctor just cut off the wrong piece of anatomy,” Randy Sorrels, the family attorney, told the media. We think he accidentally severed the vas deferens, one of the tubes that carry reproductive sperm. It could affect this young man for the rest of his life.”
Vasectomy allows for male sterilization
Vasectomy is a method of male sterilization that consists of an operation to cut the vas deferens that allow the passage of sperm from the testicles. After the operation is completed, the patient is infertile and therefore unable to have children naturally.
The medical problem the boy suffered from, however, was quite different. It was a hernia, a growth under the skin at groin level. “It’s not a common mistake at all,” Randy Sorrels continues. Before a doctor cuts or excises any part of anatomy, they must clearly identify what that anatomy is and then cut. Here the doctor did not properly identify the anatomy that needed to be cut. Unfortunately he cut his vas deferens. This was only determined after analysis.”
A serious mistake that Texas Children’s Hospital is now facing because the little boy’s family decided to sue the health facility. For the time being, the hospital where the surgeon practices has only issued a statement, saying: “Our priority is the health and well-being of our patients. Due to patient confidentiality requirements, we are unable to comment.” “The family’s greatest concern is how this may affect their child physically, their ability to have children in the future, and emotionally,” says Randy Sorrels . But also the fact that you have to explain that to a potential partner you want to have children with.”
A highly regulated practice in France
In France, the practice of vasectomy is regulated by Law No. 2001-588 of July 4, 2001. And the protocol is strict: an initial consultation during which the doctor informs the patient about the medical risks and the consequences of the operation. Then a reflection period of four months is mandatory to allow the person to think about their decision. Finally, a second consultation confirms in writing the desire to undergo this procedure.