Vasectomy in specialized surgical practice
Rasmussen, O.V.; Henriksen, L.O.; Schradieck, W.; Plucnar, B.J.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 152(41): 3009-3010
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 2238172 Document Number: 357188
The current Danish law on sterilization specifies that the procedure may be carried out only in a hospital. Because of the long waiting time at Roskilde county hospital, the Ministry of Health granted special permission for the procedure to be carried out for a limited time in the practice of a surgical specialist. Of the 308 men on the waiting list at the hospital, 167 elected sterilization at the office. 3 months after the procedure a questionnaire was sent to the men as well as to the 18 patients who had elected to be sterilized at the hospital. The questionnaire covered satisfaction with the procedure, pain during the procedure, pains on the first day following and pain or discomfort at present. There was no significant statistical difference between the replies of the 2 groups. In the hospital setting sterilization is usually performed by young residents in the ambulatory surgical ward. The results of this investigation indicate that there is no valid medical reason for the requirement that sterilization be performed in a hospital. Long waiting lists for sterilization at hospitals ensure that patients have sufficient time to consider the operation but it would be equally effective to include a mandatory waiting period in a revision of the law. The authors recommend that the present Danish sterilization law should be administered by the Ministry of Health rather than by the Ministry of Justice and that it should revised to provide sufficient waiting time.