Curcumcision

Introduction
Circumcision soon will be performed on your son. In this leaflet, we provide information on the procedure surrounding this operation.

What is a circumcision?
With circumcision a part of or the entire foreskin of the penis is surgically removed.

Preparation at home
Your son must have an empty stomach when coming to the hospital because the operation requires children to be anaesthetised. By then the anaesthesist already has told you from which time – before the operation – your son is no longer allowed to drink or eat.

Day of admission
Your son will be admitted into day care at the Willem-Alexander Nursing Ward. This is the paediatric ward located on the fifth floor. When you and your son arrive at the ward, the ward nurse will give you extensive information on the procedure during the admission.

The operation
Your son will be anaesthetised. One of the parents may stay with the child until he falls asleep. The penis will be disinfected and the surrounding skin will be sterilised.The operation will be performed by a urologist or a surgeon.
During the operation, the foreskin will be removed in part or in whole and soluble stitches will be put around the base of the glans.
The operation will last about 30 minutes.

After the operation
When your son has woken from the anaesthesia and the anaesthesist has given permission, you are allowed to take him home.Directly after the operation, the penis can be bandaged with a gauze dressing. For small children sometimes, because the penis is still very little, only ointment may be used or sometimes nothing at all.

Home again
It is advisable to take it easy the first hours after the treatment. Your son may experience some pain after the operation and may still be a bit drowsy from the anaesthesia.

After the circumcision the glans will usually be uncovered. During the first days this may be sensitive. Very seldom there may be a burning sensation when urinating; encourage your child to keep on urinating normally; the burning sensation will then usually disappear of its own accord.
When your son is in pain you may give him a junior paracetamol tablet or suppository 3 to 4 times a day.

Basic rule for the treatment of a wound is: keep it clean. The day following the operation your son may take a shower or a bath, however without using soap or shower gel (for five minutes at the most). After the shower or bath it is advisable to pat the wound dry gently. If necessary, an anaesthetic ointment given to you by the nurse may be applied. This ointment may only be applied on the glans.
The stitches usually dissolve after 7 - 21 days.

Your son will not be able to go to school for 3 - 5 days. It is better for him not to participate in a sport or to swim for the first two weeks.

Possible complications
Any possible complications are almost always limited to the wound. There may be a subsequent bleeding you may detect by a bloody bandage or a bruise under a stitch. Sometimes there is an infection or abscess.
If the pain gets worse, if there is pus or blood coming from the wound, if the penis becomes more swollen and redder, accompanied by fever above 38.5°C, you must contact the doctor treating your son (the surgeon or urologist).

Urology Outpatients’ Clinic:
070 - 312 41 33 from 8.00 to 13.00 hours. 

Surgery Outpatient Clinic:
070 - 312 43 59 from 9.00 to 11.30 hours and from 14.00 to 15.30 hours.
In the evening and during the weekends you may contact the Accident & Emergency Department, telephone number 070 - 312 44 45.

Checkup
An appointment will be made for you with the doctor treating your son for a checkup.

What to do in case of illness or absence?
If your son cannot keep the appointment for surgery due to illness or another reason, please contact the Admissions Desk as soon as possible, telephone number 070 - 312 46 82.

Finally
You may visit the ward together with your son before the operation. Please call in advance to make an appointment. The telephone number of the Willem-Alexander Ward is 070 - 312 41 05. 

If you have any questions after reading this leaflet, do not hesitate to ask the doctor treating your son.

Edition: April 2010/75