A Canadian study published online in the Canadian Urological Association Journal evaluated the risk of infection after no-scalpel vasectomy performed with non-sterile examination gloves. Dr Mélanie Savard-Côté of Vasectomie 450 is one of the coauthors.
The audit included 4,785 vasectomies performed by four physicians at four Canadian outpatient clinics between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. Four patients received antibiotics within 30 days of the procedure, for an observed risk of 0.08% (95% confidence interval: 0.03–0.2%).
What the Study Actually Measured
The researchers defined infection as an antibiotic prescription recorded in the electronic medical record during the month following vasectomy. Of the four cases identified, only one had a high degree of diagnostic certainty. No abscesses were observed.
To assess whether infections might have been missed in the clinic records, the team also reviewed postoperative visits, tracked patient calls during two periods, and surveyed a random sample of 313 patients. One infection was reported in that sample. If that proportion were applied to the entire cohort, the hypothetical infection risk would be 0.4%, which remains low. This estimate also highlights the study's main limitation: a retrospective audit may miss patients who seek care elsewhere.
“Non-Sterile” Does Not Mean “Without a Sterile Protocol”
The change being studied involved the gloves worn by the physician. It did not remove the other aseptic measures. The skin was prepared with isopropyl alcohol followed by three applications of a chlorhexidine-alcohol solution. The gloves were also disinfected with that solution. Instruments, drapes, and gauze remained sterile, and physicians wore a mask and surgical cap.
The authors therefore concluded that non-sterile examination gloves, when used as part of this specific protocol, were associated with a very low risk of infection after office-based no-scalpel vasectomy. They nevertheless called for prospective, multicentre studies to confirm the findings in other clinical settings. The study does not show that other aseptic measures can be reduced.
Why This Finding Matters
If confirmed, the use of examination gloves could reduce costs, preparation time, and packaging waste in high-volume vasectomy clinics. Any potential benefit still depends on maintaining a standardized technique, rigorous antisepsis, and accessible postoperative follow-up.
Reference: Bercier J-P, Dumais V, Trottier D, et al. Risk of post-vasectomy infection using non-sterile gloves: A retrospective audit of 4785 office-based procedures. Canadian Urological Association Journal. 2026;20(10):393-397. doi:10.5489/cuaj.9603. Published online July 7, 2026. Source: article PDF supplied for this news post.
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