Risk of post-vasectomy infection using non-sterile gloves A retrospective audit of 4785 office-based procedures.

Abstract

Introduction: The use of sterile gloves in minor outpatient procedures, including vasectomy, remains debated. Performing vasectomies without sterile gloves may lower costs, shorten operative time, and reduce medical waste-important factors for efficiency and sustainability in high-volume practices. We evaluated the risk of post-vasectomy infection in a large cohort of patients who underwent no-scalpel vasectomy performed without sterile gloves.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all vasectomies performed by four physicians using non-sterile gloves from January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, across four Canadian outpatient clinics. Infection was defined as an antibiotic prescription within 30 days post-vasectomy recorded in the electronic medical record. We also assessed the effect of attending physician, use of skin glue for wound closure, and appointment duration. Differences were analyzed using Fisher's exact test, with Bonferroni-corrected significance set at p<0.017.

Results: Among 4785 vasectomies, four patients (0.08%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03- 0.2%) received antibiotics. No significant differences in infection risks were found between physicians (0.08% [2/3, 798], 0.13% [1/756], 0.93% [1/107], 0% [0/124]; p=0.07). Risks were also similar with vs. without skin glue (0.03% vs. 0.3%, p=0.04) and with short (<15 minutes) vs. longer (>30 minutes) appointment durations (0.07% vs. 0.4%, p=0.18).

Conclusions: Post-vasectomy infection risk with non-sterile gloves was very low. These findings support the use of non-sterile gloves for office-based no-scalpel vasectomy. Multicenter, prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings across diverse clinical settings. Further research should evaluate additional measures, such as skin glue, to reduce infection risk.