When circ's go bad...

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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Has anyone seen a circ go really bad? I saw one today where the doc took too much foreskin off and the skin on the shaft ended up "degloving" from the fascia underneath. A urologist had to come in and do "damage control." The people I've talked with say they've never seen anything like this happen before.

No I never touched his foreskin as I knew better. I don't know if he was born like that or not?

Thanks. I was curious as I have two uncirced boys, ages 3 and 17 months. My 3 year old pulls his foreskin back (and stretches it forward like its made of elastic :rotfl: ) Thankfully I haven't had problems with either of them. Sorry your son had to go through that.

Hey, that is a good question. :)

steph

I do still think it's wrong and I still won't participate in it. Religion is the same excuse for FGM and I wouldn't participate in that either just to show how "tolerant" I am.

I wouldn't call a circ "barbaric" though and religion is most often not the reason for it in the United States.

I do still think it's wrong and I still won't participate in it. Religion is the same excuse for FGM and I wouldn't participate in that either just to show how "tolerant" I am.

I wouldn't call a circ "barbaric" though and religion is most often not the reason for it in the United States.

I think I was the one who introduced the word barbaric to the thread... I do really apologize to anyone I offended. I'm not trying to make some huge point or change anyone's mind. That's just the way I feel, the word "barbaric" comes to me when I close my eyes and picture the procedure. Just an emotional response.

As far as religion, for me, I'm less apt to argue the point when someone cites religion, but I am still bothered by it. Just because something is done in the name of religon or tradition doesn't make it okay... There are tons of examples for that.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
I do still think it's wrong and I still won't participate in it. Religion is the same excuse for FGM and I wouldn't participate in that either just to show how "tolerant" I am.

I wouldn't call a circ "barbaric" though and religion is most often not the reason for it in the United States.

Sorry, but there is no religious basis for FGM and no basis in the Koran. FGM is "culturally" based.

Most Bris that I know of are done outside the hospital by a Moyel. The baby is not left uncovered, he is held and comforted, he is given wine on the tongue and a few use topical analgesics. The religious aspect also provides for a more comfortable (though not pain free) situation. They are not laid out buck naked in a cold exam room, strapped spread eagle on a board, with bright lights in their eyes, squirted with betadine.

I faimted at witnessing my first hospital circ. and I had seen religious Bris for years.

Sorry, but there is no religious basis for FGM and no basis in the Koran. FGM is "culturally" based.

Most Bris that I know of are done outside the hospital by a Moyel. The baby is not left uncovered, he is held and comforted, he is given wine on the tongue and a few use topical analgesics. The religious aspect also provides for a more comfortable (though not pain free) situation. They are not laid out buck naked in a cold exam room, strapped spread eagle on a board, with bright lights in their eyes, squirted with betadine.

I faimted at witnessing my first hospital circ. and I had seen religious Bris for years.

I'm sure you know there are imams who would disagree with you. THEY claim it's a religious requirement. A lot of things aren't in the Quran, but are interpreted by muslim scholars as being required. The prophet never said women had to be covered head to toe, but you'll find muslims who do believe that's a religious requirement in the same way they believe FGM is a requirement. And yes, I am aware of the cultural basis because Christians in the same area practice it as well. One of the women I saw with it was a Christian African. Male circumcision is also not mentionned in the Quran, yet is an accepted part of muslim tradition.

I have also been to Bris'. How the baby is held isn't the issue to me and no one can dispute that it isn't painful to them as well. I wouldn't let someone put a little wine on my tongue and then cut of a piece of my skin. And just so you know, our babies are not put into a cold room with lights in their eyes and no pain control at all, even if it's sweetease. This really isn't the issue for me, but I felt I should at least share that our hospital isn't uncaring towards infants getting circed.

Fergus - our babies are circ'd in the nursery, where it is always 150 degrees or at least it feels like it :) The board has a blanket on it and the baby is also covered with a blanket. The funny thing is some babies don't cry a lick . .. and others are screaming before anything is even done.

It does however look barbaric to me . . .

steph

Specializes in OB.

where i work, the OBs usually come in the morning and request to do a circ on their patient's babies and we assist. it's part of our job. i havn't heard of any of our nurses refuse to help even if they do oppose circumcisions.

most of the OBs have practiced in their profession for many years. some of them are residents, but are closely supervised by their attending physicians. i've assisted with so many circumcisions that i can tell when docs take too much foreskin off and when they don't take enough off. sometimes we'll get bleeders that require a touch of silver nitrate or a little stitch, but usually all goes well.

one of the reasons why i chose my OB/GYN was by the way he performed circs, even though now, i probably will choose not to have it done if i have a boy. you can tell a lot about a doc by the way they treat their patient's baby.

I've seen a few that bled alot and a couple that required a stitch or two. Some have been crooked but none to the extent that you described. I saw my first uncircumsized male in my peds rotation in school. He was a 4 yo that assessing and I asked my instructor "What is THAT?". I personally was grossed out (not very good hygenic practices in his family), I vowed I would have my son circ'ed.

Don't have a son, but I believe 98% of the NB males I have seen have been circ'ed.

I have a 5 year old and he is not circumcised but good hygiene can be taught, he knows how to retract his foreskin and clean his member. He has seen his circumsized cousins and doesn't think there is anything different about the way he looks...

I live in Italy and my son was born with phimosis and in Italy it is NOT routine to get a circ....so I was debating with myself if I should have it done....they literally tell you to try to pull the skin down everyday when you bathe the baby but the skin didn't come down so they do what is called a "strappo" where you take your male baby to the doctor and they pull it down forcefully and it bleeds.....this was enough for me to decide to get the circ done. Now doctor Spock says to have it done before 1 year of age so I had it done at 10 months.....they asked me if I wanted a partial or a full....partial the phimosos could come back ....so lets take full.....I didn't know it was that much different than in the states....after surgery (general anesthesia) he had the foreskin sown to the underhead of the member with large catgut suture...I worked in the O.R in the states and they would use nice delicate 4-0 or 5-0 sutures when they were in this area.......OUCH........he has a scar so I hope it doesn't affect his sensitivity for orgasm when he comes of age.....his brother does not have one because he had no problems with pulling the skin down...he is 11 years old and I have been talking with him through the years and educating him on why he had one done and he has actually seen his nephew have one done in a Jewish cerimony at home ....

Okay I work Ob/GYN peds newborn nsy and L&d I have never seen a circ go bad A little bleeding that gel foam fixes maybe. We have a couple of docs that hate to do them so they try to talk the mother out of it. I have two half brothers 14 years my junior, one is circed the other is not, I have spoken to both and they are both happy about the decision that was made for them. I have in the past week seen two infants approx 10mos old return to peds (uncirced) with swollen a infected member because the parents weren't caring for it properly. One was on the verge of having to be circed and the father was upset because he wasn't. The uroligist explained to parents that it had to be properly cared for. We do have some idiots in our region don't care for them and let the foreskin grow shut. Both of my sons are circed and wouldn't changed that choice. Ask any guy that is circed if they remember the procedure?!? Girls we remember childbirth. I think the choice is totally up to the parents.

Specializes in RN Education, OB, ED, Administration.

Can we actually refuse to participate in circumcisions? I hope this wasn't covered in the discussion. I will read further!!! Is your refusal based on ethical reasoning? How does your employer feel about it?

I've never seen anything like that. I have seen more than one that was less than perfect, more than one infected and one where the baby almost bled to death and required transfusion (thanks to a surprise clotting disorder never seen in the family before). I won't participate in circumcisions.
Specializes in RN Education, OB, ED, Administration.

It does seem like a barbaric procedure. We only have 3 MD's out of 20+ that use lidocaine for the procedure. I asissted only once with one of the lidocaine docs (I usually avoid postpartum at all costs) and this baby didn't cry at all! I put sugar on my gloved finger and the baby was really as calm as could be. Otherwise... I usually walk out of a circ stressed and frazzled because of the screaming! HATE THEM!

When I worked in peds as an MA, saw a couple where they wouldn't stop bleeding for awhile and infections. Never anything like that. I don't believe in routine circumcision, so I am soo glad I work nights and we rarely ever have to assist with one. I really hate watching them. :crying2:
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