WASHINGTON – A Virginia clinic is increasing its advertising for vasectomies during the three weeks of the NCAA Tournament, and it’s not alone: Tournament time sees more patients interested in timing the procedure around their recovery, according to urologists.
Virginia Urology, with two surgery centers in Richmond, uses the slogan, “Spend three days on the couch watching hoops with your wife’s approval.”
Some urologists say they see a significant uptick in the procedure each year right around March Madness, USA Today reports. The article cites a Cleveland clinic which claims to see a 50 percent rise in the surgeries this time of year.
The patients time the surgery so they can combine recovery with a little quality couch time. And that popular idea has led to uniquely themed ad campaigns.
Some nationwide clinics have been holding tournament-themed promotions since at least 2008, including one in Oregon, which sees a 10-percent spike in vasectomies during its annual “Snip City” March Madness event. This year the same clinic is providing patients with a T-shirt, 3D glasses, a copy of Sports Illustrated and a cooler.
Doctors say men are not as comfortable with medical procedures than women, USA Today reports, and are particularly uncomfortable with a procedure involving their sexual organs.
Rates of vasectomies went up during the economic downturn in 2009, according to a WebMD study, but fall behind sterilization surgery rates for women.
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