Circumcision: Procedure, Benefits and Risks
What is circumcision?
Circumcision is a surgical removal the foreskin, a fold of skin that covers the head of the penis. The procedure is typically performed on newborn males, but it can also be done on older boys and men. For some families, circumcision is a religious ritual. The procedure can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. For others, however, circumcision seems unnecessary or disfiguring.
Why it's done?
Circumcision is a religious or cultural ritual for many Jewish and Islamic families, as well as certain aboriginal tribes in Africa and Australia. Circumcision can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. Sometimes there's a medical need for circumcision, such as when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back (retracted) over the glans. In other cases, particularly in parts of Africa, circumcision is recommended for older boys or men to reduce the risk of certain sexually transmitted infections.
Circumcision might have various health benefits, including:
- Easier hygiene. Circumcision makes it simpler to wash the penis. However, boys with uncircumcised penises can be taught to wash regularly beneath the foreskin.
- Decreased risk of urinary tract infections. The risk of urinary tract infections in males is low, but these infections are more common in uncircumcised males. Severe infections early in life can lead to kidney problems later.
- Decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections. Circumcised men might have a lower risk of certain sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Still, safe sexual practices remain essential.
- Prevention of penile problems. Occasionally, the foreskin on an uncircumcised penis can be difficult or impossible to retract (phimosis). This can lead to inflammation of the foreskin or head of the penis.
- Decreased risk of penile cancer. Although cancer of the penis is rare, it's less common in circumcised men. In addition, cervical cancer is less common in the female sexual partners of circumcised men.
Circumcision doesn't affect fertility, nor is circumcision generally thought to enhance or detract from sexual pleasure for men or their partners.
Risks:
The most common complications associated with circumcision are bleeding and infection. Side effects related to anesthesia are possible as well.
Rarely, circumcision might result in foreskin problems. For example:
- The foreskin might be cut too short or too long
- The foreskin might fail to heal properly
- The remaining foreskin might reattach to the end of the penis, requiring minor surgical repair
Techniques:
There are several techniques that may be used to perform circumcision. These include:
- Gomco clamp: This technique involves the use of a specialized clamp to remove the foreskin. The clamp is placed over the head of the penis and tightened, and then the foreskin is trimmed off with a scalpel.
- Mogen clamp: This technique involves the use of a different type of clamp to remove the foreskin. The clamp is placed around the base of the penis, and then the foreskin is trimmed off with a scalpel.
- Plastibell: This technique involves the use of a plastic ring to remove the foreskin. The ring is placed around the head of the penis, and then the excess foreskin is trimmed off. The ring will fall off on its own after a few days.”
What you can expect:
During the procedure
For newborn circumcision, your son will lie on his back with his arms and legs restrained. After the penis and surrounding area are cleansed, an anesthetic will be injected into the base of the penis or applied to the penis as a cream. A special clamp will be attached to the penis, and the foreskin will be removed.
Afterward, the penis will be covered with an ointment, such as a topical antibiotic or petroleum jelly, and wrapped loosely with gauze. The procedure generally takes less than 5 minutes.
Circumcision is similar for older boys and adults however it is almost 100% painless as used different kinds of freezing.
After the procedure
It usually takes seven to 10 days for the penis to heal. The tip of the penis is likely to be sore at first, and the penis might look red, swollen or bruised. You might notice a small amount of yellow fluid on the tip of the penis as well.
If your newborn is fussy as the anesthetic wears off, hold him gently — being careful to avoid putting pressure on the penis.
It's OK to wash the penis as it heals. For newborns, change the bandage with each diaper change, and apply a dab of petroleum jelly to the tip of the penis to keep it from sticking to the diaper. Change your baby's diaper often, and make sure the diaper is loosely fastened.
If there's a plastic ring instead of a bandage, it will drop off on its own — usually within about a week. Once the penis heals, wash it with soap and water during normal bathing.
Problems after circumcision are uncommon. Contact the doctor if:
- Normal urination doesn't resume within 12 hours of the circumcision
- There's persistent bleeding
- There's foul-smelling drainage from the tip of the penis
- The plastic ring remains in place two weeks after the circumcision
