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Circumcision

The procedure that involves the surgical removal of the skin, which covers the tip of the penis, is called circumcision. The surgical procedure is usually performed on newborns for personal or religious reasons. It can also be performed in older children and adults for the same reasons or to treat or prevent certain medical conditions. Read More

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Why is circumcision done?

This surgical procedure is a religious or cultural ritual for many Jewish and Islamic families and some aboriginal tribes in Africa and Australia. It can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene, or taken as a preventive health care measure.

Furthermore, older children or adults can require circumcision to treat several health conditions such as:

Balanitis
Balanoposthitis
Paraphimosis
Phimosis

What are the benefits of circumcision?

The benefits of circumcision include:

It reduces the risk of urinary tract infections. Although the risk in males is low, these infections are more common in uncircumcised males. Severe urinary tract infections early on in life can lead to kidney problems at a later stage
It can potentially reduce the risk of penile cancer. Although this type of cancer is rare, it is a rarity in circumcised men
It potentially reduces the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, including the female-to-male transmission of HIV
It reduces the risk of cervical cancer and some infections in female partners
It maintaining good genital hygiene easier among males

What is the preparation required for circumcision?

Before the start of this procedure, a doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of the same. Written consent needs to be provided for the procedure irrespective of whether the patient is an adult or a child.

What happens during circumcision?

During the procedure

Circumcision is often performed on a newborn in the hospital nursery, typically within 10 days after birth.

For circumcision to be performed, the male newborn will lie on his back with secured arms and legs. An anaesthetic is injected into the base of the penis or applied to the penis as a cream to make it numb after the penis and the surrounding area has been cleaned. Then a clamp or ring will be put on the penis, and the foreskin will be removed. Following the removal of the foreskin, a topical antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly is applied to the penis, and it will be wrapped loosely with gauze. This procedure typically takes 10 minutes.

For older boys and adults, the procedure is similar. However, it needs to be performed under general anaesthesia. The recovery might take longer, and the risk of complications is higher when this procedure is performed later on in life.

After the procedure

After the procedure, the baby may be fussy. The time taken for healing in a newborn after circumcision is about 7 to 10 days. The instructions to reduce the feeling of discomfort will be provided by the doctor or a nurse or another qualified medical practitioner.

Initially, the tip of the penis is likely to be sore, and it is normal for the penis to look red or be swollen or bruised for a few days after the procedure. A small amount of yellow fluid on the tip of the penis can be present as well. The penis should be washed and the dressings changed with each change of the diaper. The diaper must be kept slightly loose to aid the tip of the penis in healing.

This procedure usually does not lead to complications. However, a doctor must be consulted if the child has any of the following:

Continuation of fussiness (in babies)
Increased pain (in children)
Trouble with urination
Fever
Foul-smelling drainage
Increased redness or swelling
Persistent bleeding
The plastic ring used in the procedure doesn’t fall off after two weeks

Recovery in adults

A doctor will brief a patient regarding the method of care for the incision and also suggest methods to reduce the pain.

The below-given steps have to be followed in general for adults:

Heavy physical activity such as like jogging or weight lifting must be avoided for the first four weeks of recovery or until approved by the doctor
The best exercise during recovery is walking. A patient must walk more steps than they usually do
Sexual activity usually must be avoided for up to six weeks after the surgical procedure or as advised by the doctor

A doctor must be consulted if an adult displays any of the following symptoms:

Increased pain
Trouble with urination
Bleeding
Signs of infection include fever, increased redness, swelling, or drainage

What are the risks of circumcision?

The risks of circumcision include:

The procedure can be seen as disfigurement by some people
It can cause pain, although safe and effective medications can be administered to reduce it
It has potentially smaller number of immediate health benefits
It may cause rare complications which include cutting the foreskin too long or too short, improper healing, bleeding or infection

Conclusion

Circumcision is a surgical procedure performed in newborns and adults. In some, it might be performed for personal or religious reasons and in others, it might be performed to treat several health conditions including balanitis, balanoposthitis, paraphimosis, and phimosis.

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