Infant circumcision and numbing

Published

  1. Have you ever assisted with infant circumcision

    • 1
      Yes
    • 0
      No

  2. What method was used

    • 1
      Gomco
    • 0
      Mogen
    • 0
      Plastibell

  3. Was there numbing used

    • 0
      Yes
    • 1
      No

1 member has participated

Specializes in RN.

I work for a pediatricians office and I am required to help out with infant circumcisions she uses a gomco clamp with no anesthetic what is everyone else’s experience with this and have you ever assisted with one without anesthesia what did you do and how did you cope with it all 

1
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Specializes in Author, Psych, Palliative, Wound Care.

I thought it was barbaric (there was no anesthetic) and asked the obstetrician (Yes, obstetrician. They, and pediatricians can perform circumcisions on infants) if he didn't think it painful, esp. since the poor little guy screamed his head off. He said newborns didn't experience pain the same way as older children. My job was to give the infant drops of sweetened water to "distract" him (which I'm sure it didn't.) I noticed a few male nursing students who were observing, crossing their legs!

Before I had ever witnessed a circumcision, some 20 years before when I gave birth to my son, I had reservations about it. As it happened, the day he was born, he was the only male in the nursery. Every time I heard a baby scream bloody murder, I'd ask the staff, "Was that my baby?" (thinking that the circumcision was in progress.)

Fast forward to today...I've had a few conversations with my now adult son and told him if I'd known what I know now about how brutal circumcision was, I'd have never allowed it. His response was always appreciation for having had it done as he wouldn't have wanted to look different than his dad or peers at school. As an aside, the circumcision cost $80. :-0

While working in hospice, I saw a lot of older men with nasty complications d/t being uncircumcised. If the foreskin had been pulled up around or just under the glans, it would be a veritable nightmare if the pt had any type of lower body edema. Then it would be impossible to pull the foreskin back and urine would fill the pouch, inflating it further. If the foreskin was retracted to just under the glans and edema occurred, it would literally strangle the head and again, impossible to pull down.

My dad was from the "old country" where circumcision was not routinely performed. He decided at the age of 48 to have it done. He was in a LOT of pain afterward and he did have the benefit of anesthesia pre and post-op. I can't help but think that an infant would feel the same level of pain.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Author, Psych, Palliative, Wound Care.

I thought it was barbaric (there was no anesthetic) and asked the obstetrician (Yes, obstetrician. They, and pediatricians can perform circumcisions on infants) if he didn't think it painful, esp. since the poor little guy screamed his head off. He used Gomco and said newborns didn't experience pain the same way as older children. My job was to give the infant drops of sweetened water to "distract" him (which I'm sure it didn't.) I noticed a few male nursing students who were observing, crossing their legs! I coped with it by moving on to a different department in the hospital.

Before I had ever witnessed a circumcision, some 20 years before when I gave birth to my son, I had reservations about it. As it happened, the day he was born, he was the only male in the nursery. Every time I heard a baby scream bloody murder, I'd ask the staff, "Was that my baby?" (thinking that the circumcision was in progress.)

Fast forward to today...I've had a few conversations with my now adult son and told him if I'd known what I know now about how brutal circumcision was, I'd have never allowed it. His response was always appreciation for my having had it done as he wouldn't have wanted to look different than his dad or peers at school. As an aside, the circumcision cost $80. :-0

While working in hospice, I saw a lot of older men with nasty complications d/t being uncircumcised. If the foreskin had been pulled up around or just under the glans, it would be a veritable nightmare if the pt had any type of lower body edema. Then it would be impossible to pull the foreskin back and urine would fill the pouch, inflating it further. If the foreskin was retracted to just under the glans and edema occurred, it would literally strangle the head and again, impossible to pull down.

My dad was from the "old country" where circumcision was not routinely performed. He decided at the age of 48 to have it done. He was in a LOT of pain afterward and he did have the benefit of anesthesia pre and post-op. I can't help but think that an infant would feel the same level of pain.

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