Circumcision

The procedure of removing the foreskin is known as circumcision. The flap of the skin covering the head of penis is known as foreskin.

In certain cases, circumcision is done for certain medical conditions. The medical conditions where the foreskin is removed may because of the damage to the foreskin, infection of the foreskin or because the non-sliding of the foreskin on the penis.

Circumcision is done for religious purposes in Islam and Judaism. The practise of circumcision exists in certain cultures so as to avoid health problems.

Circumcision can help on the reduction of sexually transmitted infections as well as prevention of cancer in the penis.

Necessity of circumcision

Circumcision is normally done in the following cases

Phimosis is a condition where the foreskin becomes very tight and the pulling back of it over the penis’ head becomes difficult. If one tries to pull the foreskin over in such a condition, it can cause injury and pain. The foreskin usually comes back to the normal condition when the boys reach adulthood. In cases where the boys are less than six years, circumcision need not be done. In certain cases, a congenital condition called true philmosis is present in certain boys. This needs circumcision for treatment.
Paraphimosis is a condition where the squeezing of the penis happens due to the inability in pulling the foreskin back. This can be treated by squeezing the glans that has been trapped gently until the foreskin slides again.
If a person is subjected to infections like balanoposthitis and Balanitis, which causes the swelling of the penis, then circumcision needs to be done.
In very rare cases, cancer affecting the penis may require circumcision.
Cicumcision is also performed if the person has a painful sex.

When must circumcision be done

Cicumcision is normally performed under general anaesthesia but in cases where boys are babies, local anaesthesia is given to prevent any further side effects. Local anaesthesia is administered in the form of cream or an injection in the penis’ base.

Non-therapeutic circumcision is done for religious or cultural purposes. The parents of the boy undergoing circumcision must be aware of the risks associated with circumcision. They include possible surgical error, bleeding as well as pain after the surgery. If the boy has grown to a stage where he can understand the positives and negatives of the things, he should be informed about all the aspects of the surgery.

It is usually observed that the development of penile cancer is less in men who have undergone circumcision than in those who have not. The penile cancer may develop in a man due to his inability of pulling the foreskin back.

The other factors triggering penile cancer are development of sexually transmitted disease like human papilloma virus as well as smoking.

People who have infections like urethritis as well as penile warts also undergo circumcision to avoid penile cancer.

Risks

The major complications arising due to circumcision are infection and bleeding. A few other risks are:

• Reduction in feeling of the penis during sexual intercourse
• Damage of the urethra
• Amputation of the penis’ head or glans by mistake
• chances of blood becoming poisoned or infected, which is termed septicaemia