FIL got "re-circed" today

[tsfairy]

I don't know all the details, but FIL had surgery today to correct something to do with his circumcision. I really want to know what happened, but I don't feel comfortable asking, and DH hasn't pressed for details either. I suggested to DH that there must be some other treatment they could try, but he just found out about the surgery yesterday and didn't feel like it was his place to give his parents medical advice. Luckily FIL is doing well and came through the surgery nicely. I bet he got some really good anesthetic - too bad I can't say the same for all the babies who get RIC.

On a related note, FIL was circed around 6yo, and DH was circed sometime before 1yo (but well after birth, not RIC) for somewhat ambiguous reasons but FIL believes they both had the same issue (though I suspect at least DH had phimosis caused by over-zealous "cleaning" and forcible retracting). DH was adamant that our baby boy be circed, but after reading some literature he was convinced that RIC is wrong and he's pretty anti-circ now. BUT he's still really worried that whatever happened to him and his dad will also happen to DS. I have told him that I think it was just circ-happy ignorant docs jumping the gun to find any excuse to rip off the foreskin (in a nice way of course since this is his penis we're talking about) but he's still worried. Anyone have stats on later-in-life required circs and what sorts of conditions would require a circ as the method of treatment (where all else might fail that is.)

[paquerette]

Since it was a re-circ, just a guess, but maybe it's skin bridges or adhesions or something like that? Or, since you say they're being ambiguous about the details, perhaps it wasn't a re-circ but correction of meatal stenosis?

As far as something that was actually necessary and no other treatment would have been possible, don't suppose he had any frostbite or gangrene recently?

[tsfairy]

Originally Posted by paquerette

Since it was a re-circ, just a guess, but maybe it's skin bridges or adhesions or something like that? Or, since you say they're being ambiguous about the details, perhaps it wasn't a re-circ but correction of meatal stenosis?

As far as something that was actually necessary and no other treatment would have been possible, don't suppose he had any frostbite or gangrene recently?

Um... nope don't think so. It's been close to 100 degrees for the past few months so frostbite is out of the question and I think we might have heard about something causing gangrene... I'm thinking adhesions probably.

So are frostbite and gangrene the only conditions that would absolutely require a circ? I would really like to set DH's mind fully at ease about DS if possible.

[Bm31]

You should have all the evidence you need right there with your FIL's situation. A circ is just as likely to lead to another circ (or other corrective procedures) as it is for an intact male to need a first one. Here's a good link with the stats. http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Circumcision.htm And keep in mind those stats are from Canada. They've done a great job at lowering the circ rate, but the "need to" rates are even lower in other countries with a longer history of intactness.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

The only things that would guarantee a need for circ would be cancer, gangrene and frostbite. For everything else that they do circ for later in life there is a 99% chance it could be fixed with other measures. Like phimosis were a grown man cant fully retract his foreskin AND he has a problem with that like pain or just wants it to retract. First step simple stretching exercises daily with or without the use of betamethazone cream (steroid) to aid in the process. If there is scare tissue preventing retraction because of forced retraction or balentitas (a kind of chronic infection) a simple dorsal slit could be the answer. Removing the whole foreskin for the issue of phimosis to me is compairable to removing the whole leg to take a mole off. :

There is also a condition known as paraphimosis, this condition is when the foreskin is retracted behind the head of the penis and gets stuck (rare but emergency situation) when this happens it can cut off blood supply to the penis resulting in major damage or even loss of the whole thing if this happens 99% of the time the Dr. will want to do a emergency circ. But there is a answer other than circ. Here is a link that describes in detail what needs to be done before circ is even considered. Starting with what is called the Dundee technique. Warning there are some graphic pics of this condition here: http://www.cirp.org/library/treatmen...osis/reynard1/ Like I mentioned above paraphimosis is not that common so dont let it scare you that your son may have this issue. Just make sure if he become retractable when he is small to gently remind him to put his foreskin back over the glans when he is done