UT Health Austin

Patrick Birdsong knew his path to growing his family had changed.

After having a vasectomy years earlier, he began looking into whether reversal was possible. That search led him to Sarah Vij, M.D., a urologist at UT Health Austin who specializes in a precise procedure that reconnects tubes smaller than a strand of spaghetti using sutures thinner than a human hair.

Vasectomy reversal requires advanced microsurgical skill, steady hands and careful planning, especially when past procedures or scar tissue make the surgery more complex. For Birdsong, Dr. Vij’s expertise and honest guidance helped him feel confident moving forward.

The result was exactly what he hoped for: another chance to grow his family.

Read more:

Vasectomy reversal For those hoping to have children after a vasectomy, vasectomy reversal can restore fertility and the possibility of natural conception.

A step forward for neurosurgery access in Austin:

Dr. Joaquin Camara recently performed the first anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in our ambulatory surgery center.

The surgery is used to address neck pain and symptoms from pinched nerves in the spine, which can happen when discs, arthritis or bone spurs put pressure on nearby nerves. During the procedure, the damaged disc is removed from the front of the neck, pressure is relieved from the nerves and an implant is placed to support healing.

For many patients, having this procedure in an ambulatory surgery center can create a more streamlined experience with personalized, one-on-one care in an outpatient setting. It can also help reduce the stress and cost that may come with a hospital stay. Expanding access to specialized neurosurgical care helps more patients get the right care in the right setting.

This is academic medicine in action: faculty physicians bringing specialized training, leading expertise and advanced procedures to improve the way Austin gets and stays healthy.