Dr Andrew Dawson demonstrates the new Zeiss operating microscope.

Dr Dawson began performing vasectomy reversal in 1995, after building up a large vasectomy practice throughout the county of Cleveland. he saw it as a surgical challenge, suited to his temperament. Asked what this is like, he says "I just love building things. I used to build Meccano, and models any description as a child. Some people are good with their feet and have fantastic agility making them great football players. Well, I have the same ability with my hands".He should also have added the words fussy' , fastidious and with a tendancy to be driven in his career pursuits. 

Babies number 1 and 2

After the first 10 reversals he performed, one of his first patients called to say that his wife was pregnant. He had flown over from Germany to have the operation. He and his wife moved back to the North East after the baby was born and not long afterwards came a little baby sister. The photo of these sisters is to be seen on the waiting room wall. 

Don't use our rats, we're British!

It became obvious that whilst some success could follow traditional reversal, Microsurgery was going to be needed to obtain the best results. A trawl of UK based microsurgery courses revealed a course in Scotland  which was duly applied for. To his astonishment, he received a letter from the Home Office politely declining permission to join the course on the grounds that they did not feel that they should be sacrificing British rats for the mere attempt of perfecting vasectomy reversal!!  The letter was lost but should have been framed and kept as reminder of bureaucratic stupidity! Fortunately, a course organised by Professot Philip Li at New York's Cornell University Hospital was found.

Bringing the spirit of Prof. Goldstein and Cornell to the UK

Dr Dawson was stunned to see Professor Goldstein at work in the operating theatre. The sutures and needles so mind bogglingly small, the dedication, patience and determination to excell. Professor Goldstein's aphorisms 'know everything about something and something about everything' and when tying sutures 'approximate don't strangulate'  phrases still ring true. Professor Philip Li's kindly guidance in teaching microsurgery on rats has never been forgotten and has forged a lasting friendship and professional alliance. Below we are pictured on Philip's visit to our clinic in 2006. Since visiting New York in 2000 the Dawson Microsurgery team have set as their goal the same high standards set by professor Goldstein and his team in new York.