What is a circumcision?
Circumcision is removal of the foreskin.
Why perform circumcision?
- Medical reasons
- Narrowing of the end of the foreskin, or ‘phimosis’
- Recurrent infections of the foreskin (‘balanitis’)
- Scarring of the foreskin
- Cultural reasons
- Religious reasons
What are the alternatives to circumcision?
Narrowing of the end of the foreskin, called phimosis, can often be successfully treated with steroid cream. If the cream is not successful, circumcision is usually advised.
Recurrent infections may be successfully prevented by attention to simple hygiene measures such as gently retracting and cleaning the foreskin regularly. However the foreskin should never be forcibly retracted. In small boys there is no need to routinely retract and clean inside the foreskin if there have been no problems – best simply leave it alone.
Some parents may consider circumcising their son for cultural or personal reasons.
How is circumcision performed?
Although circumcision can be performed in many ways, a paediatric surgeon / paediatric urologist performs circumcision under a general anaesthetic in the operating theatre. The foreskin is surgically removed and dissolvable sutures are used.
What to expect after the operation
There may be a small amount of blood at the operation site. However, there should not be continuing oozing or bleeding.
There may be some swelling of the penile skin.
A degree of bruising is to be expected.
The head of the penis will be exposed.
There may be a raw appearance to part of the head of the penis if an adherent foreskin had to be separated off. Later this may look a little ‘sloughy’ – this is not infection but part of the healing process.
What are some of the risks of the operation?
- Bleeding
- Rarely a second operation will be needed to stop the bleeding
- Infection
- Meatal stenosis
- Narrowing of the hole in the end of the penis
- Injury to the penis – very rare
