Unwanaobong Nseyo1, Nishant Patel2, Tung-Chin Hsieh2. 1. Department of Urology, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, CA. Electronic address: unseyo@ucsd.edu. 2. Department of Urology, UC San Diego Health System, San Diego, CA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize vasectomy reversal practice patterns among American Board of Urology (ABU) certifying urologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the ABU case logs for certifying urologists from 2008 to 2014. Vasectomy reversal procedures were identified by 3 current procedure terminology (CPT) codes: 55400 (vasovasostomy), 54900 (epididymovasostomy, unilateral), and 54901 (epididymovasostomy, bilateral). Demographic data were obtained and reviewed. Multivariate analysis determined the factors influencing the performance of surgical approach. RESULTS: There were 5167 urologists who submitted case logs for 2008-2014, and 9.4% (486) had performed at least one vasectomy reversal procedure. General urologists accounted for the highest overall volume of vasectomy reversal procedures. Andrology-trained urologists performed a higher volume of vasovasostomy per surgeon, and bilateral epididymovasostomy constituted a greater portion of their E-V practice. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that being in recertification years, being younger in age, practicing in the South Central, Southeast, and Western regions, and practicing in the largest and smallest practice areas were associated with being more likely to perform a vasectomy reversal procedure. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical vasectomy reversals are putatively considered technically challenging and reserved for fellowship-trained urologists, and the majority of vasectomy reversal surgeries were performed by general urologists. Given the known association between microsurgical technique and improved outcomes, greater emphasis should be placed on microsurgical training during urology residency.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize vasectomy reversal practice patterns among American Board of Urology (ABU) certifying urologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the ABU case logs for certifying urologists from 2008 to 2014. Vasectomy reversal procedures were identified by 3 current procedure terminology (CPT) codes: 55400 (vasovasostomy), 54900 (epididymovasostomy, unilateral), and 54901 (epididymovasostomy, bilateral). Demographic data were obtained and reviewed. Multivariate analysis determined the factors influencing the performance of surgical approach. RESULTS: There were 5167 urologists who submitted case logs for 2008-2014, and 9.4% (486) had performed at least one vasectomy reversal procedure. General urologists accounted for the highest overall volume of vasectomy reversal procedures. Andrology-trained urologists performed a higher volume of vasovasostomy per surgeon, and bilateral epididymovasostomy constituted a greater portion of their E-V practice. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that being in recertification years, being younger in age, practicing in the South Central, Southeast, and Western regions, and practicing in the largest and smallest practice areas were associated with being more likely to perform a vasectomy reversal procedure. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical vasectomy reversals are putatively considered technically challenging and reserved for fellowship-trained urologists, and the majority of vasectomy reversal surgeries were performed by general urologists. Given the known association between microsurgical technique and improved outcomes, greater emphasis should be placed on microsurgical training during urology residency.