مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Comparison of circumcisions performed before and during adolescence

Abstract :

Aim: We aimed to compare the complication rates of circumcisions that were performed before and during adolescence in our area. Methods: 296 uncircumcised boys aged between 8 and 20 years were enrolled. Patients were divided into two groups; patients aged 12 years and ≥ 12 years. Urogenital examinations were performed by the same urologist. Patients with additional urogenital pathologies were excluded. Circumcisions were carried out under local anesthesia. Early postoperative follow up were done and complications were noted. Results: The mean age in the first group (n=197) patients was 6.19±3.42 years and the second group (n=99) was 15.09±2.27 years. The surgical complications in group 1 were hemorrhage, local infection, ecchymosis, skin tag. Group 2 patients experienced hemorrhage and ecchymosis. The most frequent complication in both groups was postoperative bleeding with a rate of 5.6% and 5.1%; respectively (p 0.05). Adhesions were fixed by retraction of penis in patients with skin tag. There was no significant difference between groups with regard to the frequencies of local infection and ecchymosis (p 0.05). There was a negative correlation between age and local infection or skin tag (r: -0.136 and -0.176; respectively). Also there was a positive correlation between skin tag and local infection (r: 0.161). Conclusion: We observed no significant difference between complication and success rate of circumcision procedures before and during adolescence. In conclusion, circumcision, even at advanced age, should be regarded as a surgical procedure and has an acceptable complication rate depending on experience of surgeon.