Taiwan plastic surgeon performs self-vasectomy as ‘gift for wife’, sparks heated debate


BEIJING (SCMP): A plastic surgeon in Taiwan who performed a vasectomy on himself has called it a “gift” to his wife.

Online sources indicate that the doctor, Chen Weinong, specialises in eyelid, nose, and breast augmentation procedures.

Chen previously helped burn patients in a professional medical group and later established his own plastic surgery clinic in the island’s capital Taipei.

On Jan 9, he shared a video of himself performing his own vasectomy on a social media platform. It attracted more than 4 million views.

Father of three Chen said he chose a vasectomy because of the respective ages of himself and his wife.

Trusting his own skills, he performed the procedure himself, calling it “a gift to my wife”.

“Female sterilisation is more complex, but male procedures are simpler. We just locate the duct which carries the sperm externally and tie it off,” he said.

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In the video, Chen walks viewers through the procedure’s 11 steps of the procedure, including locating the sperm duct, administering anaesthesia, cutting, tying off, and suturing the wound.

Sitting cross-legged, he performed the surgery on himself while sharing his thoughts.

When Chen touched his sperm duct, he exclaimed: “Oh, this is super sore!”

Later, he sutured his wound and said: “This feels so weird.”

While male sterilisation typically takes 15 minutes, Chen’s solo operation lasted more than an hour. Afterwards, he admitted: “I am exhausted.”

He also said that the night after the surgery was painful, but the discomfort had eased by the next morning.

Some netizens questioned Chen’s qualifications for performing a vasectomy as a plastic surgeon.

Chen hit back saying that he holds a surgical licence and noted that a nurse and three doctors, including a supervising urologist, were present to ensure safety.

“The procedure was fully self-funded and conducted at a legally authorised location,” he added.

As of writing, Chen’s wife has not commented.

The Taipei City Health Department confirmed Chen’s surgical qualifications, saying there were no legal issues with the procedure, according to Taiwanese media outlet FTV News.

A local official also noted that it is common for male doctors to perform their own vasectomies.

However, Chen urged the public not to imitate him.

“Performing a vasectomy at home is extremely dangerous. I strongly recommend consulting a professional urologist,” he said.

The self-vasectomy sparked much attention on social media, with the video getting more than 100,000 shares.

One online observer said Chen was a responsible husband: “You are very thoughtful. Recovery from male sterilisation is much quicker than for females.”

Another expressed concern about potentially dangerous imitations: “Please consult a professional doctor, the surgery is not expensive and really quick.”

In Taiwan, painless male vasectomies normally cost 18,000 to 25,000 TWD (US$550 to US$750) and allow same-day discharge. - South China Morning Post

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China , Taiwan , vasectomy , surgeon

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