A manager at the Doctor Jose Carlos de Espirito Santo clinic in Montes Claros, in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, told Reuters on Wednesday that Valdemar Lopes de Moraes, 39, entered the vasectomy room when Aldemar Aparecido Rodrigues' name was called.

"The strangest thing is that he asked no questions when the doctor started preparations in the area which had so little to do with his ear," Vanessa Guimaraes said.

"He later explained that he thought it was an ear inflammation that got down to his testicles," she added.

Mr De Moraes, a farmer who has two children, did not want to reverse the operation, performed last week.

He showed up for an ear exam on Wednesday at the same clinic.