Book reviews

L. Hodgkinson (Berkeley, CA, USA)

Dr. Bowin's book is essential reading for any man considering a vasectomy or suffering from testicular pain following a vasectomy. A significant minority of men, at least 1 in 100, have the severest testicular pain after vasectomy. This testicular pain is long-term, possibly lifelong, absolutely continuous, and overwhelmingly severe! Who would ride in a bus that had a 1 in 100 chance of a major accident that would cripple everyone inside and destroy their lives with severe continuous lifelong pain? No one. Similarly no one would choose vasectomy or allow it to be performed on any loved one if properly informed about PVPS and its significant rate of incidence. Dr. Bowin's book summarizes the papers on post-vascetomy pain in the medical literature and contains a wealth of information. Dr. Bowins concludes that, because of the unacceptable coplication of a high-rate of severe lifelong testicular pain following vasectomy, vasectomy should be discontinued. History will doubtless look back on vasectomy as a barbaric genital mutilation that crippled many men by placing them in a severe, continuous, lifelong pain. Thank goodness lobotomy was discontinued because it was disabling many people. Vasectomy should follow for the same reasons; severe continuous lifelong pain in the testes is a major disability that is extremely unpleasant and seemingly endless.

 

William Phenn for Reader Views (7/07)

Safe and simple procedure? NOT!

Dr. Brad Bowins is a psychiatrist working in private practice as well as at the University of Toronto Health Service. Dr. Bowins has done extensive research into the material presented in his book and it is noted in many pages in the Bibliography section. When an author dedicates almost ten percent of his book to the background and research material presented in it (8 pages of a 98 page book), you know what he is saying is backed up with facts.

"Vasectomy" is well written and researched information, a manual on the subject of male sterilization. In his book, Brad begins by explaining the male anatomy and physiology. He starts off with a little background into the male reproductive system and all it entails: Testicles, Efferent Ducts & Epididymis, Vas Deferens and the Seminal Vesicles & Prostate. Dr. Bowins brings out little-known facts about this supposed "simple procedure" that maybe the Urologist will not tell his patient -- things like, it's not just a simple snipping of the testicles or such (as they would have us believe) but an actual removal of 10-15 millimeters of tissue! Dr. Bowins does a fine job of explaining the procedure and the different variations.

Among some of the other unknown facts are things like the testicles only produce a minor portion of the sperm content. There are other anatomical areas of the body that produce a higher percentage of the actual reproductive sperm than the testicles and these areas remain intact. But all this information is just leading up to the main focus of the book which is Post-Vasectomy Pain Syndrome or PVPS. Pain, that's right; the terrible feeling in the genitals many years after the "Band-aid Surgery." Dr. Bowins describes this as "The modern medical nightmare." PVPS is so often diagnosed by Urologists as being in the patients head, and not actual, or other unreal symptoms. But the fact of the matter (as brought out in Dr. Bowins book) is that it is real -- real to the extent that a surgeon will on occasion remove the testicle that is the cause of the pain. Again Dr. Bowins explains that when that is done, the other one (which may have also expressed a minor version of the pain) will begin to take center stage in the pain circus and eventually it will have to be removed also.

Shocking? Yes! Informative? Yes! Great book? Yes!

I gave Dr. Bowins' book an A+ and considered it an excellent read. The man utilizes some medical terms throughout "Vasectomy" which I had no problem with (I was an Air Force Medic). But to those of you that don't have knowledge of Latin, or a medical dictionary handy, Dr. Bowins explains what they mean. One must understand, Brad Bowins is a doctor and he does talk like one.

 

Greg Fournier of the Canadian PVP Association

Dr. Brad Bowins’ book, entitled, “Vasectomy, The Cruelest Cut of All,” should be required reading for a man considering a vasectomy. Spouses should read it also. The book will both surprise and enlighten those who think they know all there is to know about vasectomy. More importantly, the book is a valuable resource for men with post vasectomy pain syndrome (PVP). Dr. Bowins reviews in layperson’s terms the clinical studies on PVP in a logical and well organized fashion. He also provides a thorough examination of the physical, social, emotional and sexual difficulties that can arise from PVP.

Dr. Bowins explores the reasons why the decision to have a vasectomy is often made without a full appreciation of the risks involved, particularly the risk of PVP. He suggests that proper pre-vasectomy counseling and informed consent are often missing in the vasectomy process. He argues that they are amongst the most important components of the vasectomy decision. Dr. Bowins gives a simple and easy to understand description of the physiology of a man’s body before, during, and after vasectomy. He explains the physical characteristics and mechanics of post vasectomy pain and the reasons why post vasectomy pain is a natural outcome of vasectomy. Unique to his profession, Dr. Bowins explores the emotional parameters and sexual politics involved in the vasectomy decision. As a trained and practicing psychiatrist he is well positioned to give us his thought provoking comments on these matters. Congratulations Dr. Bowins. Your book is well written and timely.

 

TheTaoRunner "Anthony R. Ellis, M.D." (Michigan, USA)

Vasectomy can cause chronic pain. The incidence varies and cannot truly be known because most men suffer in silence after this procedure. In some studies I read, ten percent of men regretted having the procedure for a variety of reasons. It seems likely that many men have little or no trouble after vasectomy, but clearly, some do. Don't get the procecure without reading about the possibility of chronic pain. I think that if men knew the roughly ten to thirty percent likelihood of some form of chronic pain, then fewer would choose this procedure.