A circumcision is the removal of the foreskin(fold of the skin that covers the head of penis) from the penis. Although, It is usually practiced in many cultures and religious traditions, but it is also performed for medical reasons( eg phimosis/Para phimosis/infections). Usually it is carried out in infancy, but there is no age limit.

The surgery is performed by an experienced surgeon after examination of perineal area to exclude any abnormality in a sterile environment with aseptic techniques. Parent’s consent is mandatory before procedure. For local anesthesia, no fasting is required, for general anesthesia, 6 hours fasting is recommended. There are two ways for circumcision:- Surgical excision and suturing (surgeon assesses the amount of skin to be removed, measures, marks and removes the excess skin. The cut ends are stitched together with
dissolvable sutures and dressed with non-adherent dressings- Plastid bell(this involves fitting and tightening a specially designed small plastic ring around
the glans foreskin. This ring stops blood reaching the foreskin which as a result then dies and falls off in two weeks. Both procedure are equally effective with each having there advantages and disadvantages Post-surgery, loose nappies are advised for infants. Oral painkillers are usually given for pain relief. wound usually heals within a week and dressings are kept dry during this period. In case ofplastid bell, you can give bath to baby as there are no stitches or dressing.

Any congenital perineal abnormality like Small or buried penis, hypospadias, chordee, deformity of dorsal hood, penile webbing, epispadias, ambiguous genitalia, and bleeding diatheses

 Is circumcision safe?
It is considered a safe procedure with complication rate of 2%
 What are the complications of procedure?
These include infection, bleeding, swelling, redness, ulceration, abnormal scarring, loss of sensation, damage to penis, difficulty in urination, psychological and sexual problems. In rare circumstances, The ring may slip and becomes tight around penis, you should contact your doctor immediately if that happens.
 How long does this procedure take?
It usually takes 30 minutes
 Is it performed under general anesthesia?
In infants and younger children, it is performed under local anesthesia, in older children and adults general anesthesia is usually used.
 Does it need hospital admission?
Circumcision is performed as day care procedure and patient can go home after they have been given instructions about the care of surgical site by their doctors
 How long it takes to recover?
Wound healing usually takes 7-10 days.
 Is circumcision painful?
No. A local or general anesthetic will be administered so there will not be any pain.
 Is there any alternative to circumcision?
If a child is not suitable for circumcision then there are a few alternatives
Stretching the foreskin on a daily basis as advised by the doctor Steroid creams: can be directly applied to the skin and are often used to treat phimosis But none of the treatment can replace circumcision.