It consists in the partial removal of the skin that covers the glans (prepuce).
Indications for the surgery:
The most frequent indication is phimosis, which is a narrowing of the prepuce such as to prevent or make the uncovering of the glans particularly difficult and painful. Other indications are given by suspicious lesions of the foreskin. Finally, some individuals may have religious reasons for performing a circumcision. The alternative to surgery, i.e. a therapy with ointment applied locally, based on steroids (cortisone), it is generally not resolutive.
Anesthesia:
The circumcision surgery is generally performed under local anesthesia by injection at the base of the penis of anesthetic drugs. In special cases (especially children or anxious patients) you may require also a sedo-analgesia.
Details about the surgery:
The circumcision surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis (a few hours of permanence in the ward) or day-surgery (hospitalization of less than 24 hours). The patient, in the supine position, is subjected to anesthesia and we proceed to the removal of the foreskin; The operation lasts about 30 minutes; at the end of surgery the penis is bandaged exposing the urethral meatus to make urination possible.
Complications:
Possible complications of this intervention are represented by: bleeding, pain, hematoma formation, infection, excessive or insufficient removal of preputial skin, unsatisfactory aesthetic result, change of the sensations experienced during intercourse.
After surgery:
In order to avoid some complications and ensure proper healing of the wound it is necessary to avoid sexual intercourse for about four weeks. The suture stitches are of absorbable material and do not require to be removed; they generally fall within 15 days. After surgery the patient is subjected to at least one control visit generally in the first postoperative day; on this occasion it is removed the bandage previously applied. In some cases it may be recommended antibiotics and anti-inflammatory therapy for 4-5 days.