How common is it to get pregnant after a vasectomy? “Vas” is Latin for “duct,” and “ectomy” refers to “surgical removal.” A vasectomy is, therefore, the surgical removal of the vas deferens, the tube which carries sperm from the epididymis to the penis.
Vasectomy is a permanent method of birth control. However, no surgery is 100% foolproof, and vasectomy is no exception. The failure rate of a vasectomy is very low, but it is not zero.