Q: How long does the procedure take?
– The circumcision itself is very quick, usually taking about 1 minute. The doctor will check on the baby about 10-15 minutes after the procedure. You’re total time in the office wild tend to be between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Q: I ran out of ointment. What should I do?
–The antibiotic ointment need only be applied for 4 days following the procedure. If you’ve run out in this time frame, you’ve been using too much. If It’s already been a day or two, you can use Vaseline instead.
Q: How long does it take for the circumcision to heal completely?
–Most of the healing takes place over the first 4 days. At that time it is safe to bathe the area. Be mindful that full healing will take place over a period of two to three weeks. There may be some scabbing and swelling that needs to resolve over this period of time. It is totally normal.
Q: What is the ideal age to do a circumcision?
–The best time is between 7–14 days. I will circumcise babies from 5 days up until 8 weeks of age in my office, so long as the baby is a minimum weight of 2.5kg (5.5lbs). It is best to do it in the 7–14 day window because the babies are less aware at this age.
Q: I can’t find Infants’ Tylenol. What should I do.
–While it is ideal to give your child Tylenol, it is not essential. As such, if it is not available, you need not worry was your child will be aenesthatised at the start of the procedure.
Q: What types of complications are possible from circumcision?
–Occasionally there will be a small amount of bleeding from the site many hours after the procedure. This is treated by applying pressure to the penis for about 3 minutes. Infection can also occur, however it is extremely rare. It is evident by seeing excess redness and pus, accompanied by a foul smell. It is treated by applying an antibiotic ointment and resolves within 1-3 days.
Q: May I apply EMLA cream/patch prior to the procedure?
–EMLA whether as a cream or patch is generally not effective in reducing pain from circumcision. In most cases, it is not applied correctly so it doesn’t work. The use of EMLA can cause swelling of the foreskin and/or makes the field very slippery thus making the procedure far more difficult and lengthy. Finally, there have been side effects reported with the use of EMLA. Given that it does not contribute to any significant pain reduction Dr. Greenberg DOES NOT ENDORSE THE USE OF EMLA CREAM OR OTHER SIMILAR TOPICAL ANESTHETICS APPLIED PRE-OPERATIVELY.
Q: Do all doctors use the same anaesthetic method?
–No. Doctors have different beliefs and practices with respect to anaesthetic use. EMLA and other topical anesthetic creams are not very effective and in some cases can cause problematic side effects. Dr. Greenberg does not recommend the use of EMLA. Dr. Greenberg uses local injectable anesthetics (as mentioned above). The literature supports the use of local injectable anesthetics for babies undergoing circumcision. When choosing a doctor or Mohel (circumciser) to do your son’s circumcision or Bris, you should ask about the doctor or Mohel manages pain.
Q: Will it hurt my baby?
–Published studies validate the use of local injectable anesthetic and have shown that the pain control protocol is very effective. Using a local injectable anesthetic together with acetaminophen will give your baby peri-operative and post-operative anesthesia. The use of local injectable anesthetic allows many babies to sleep right through the procedure and to have a very comfortable, pain free post operative period.
Q: What can I expect my baby to be like after the circumcision?
–It is not unusual for the baby to sleep for 6-8 hours after the circumcision and to miss a feeding. Some babies will be irritable for a few hours afterwards. The baby should void within 4 hours of the circumcision.
Q: What methods of circumcision are used by other doctors?
–The Gomco Clamp – This is the most common technique used by physicians. It requires more time to perform and involves much more tissue handling.
The Plasty Bell – With this technique the baby must go home with a small plastic device tied on to his penis that allows the foreskin to rot off over subsequent days. This is a more lengthy procedure and open to more problems.
Q: Another doctor told me he could not circumcise my child because he has a webbed penis. Will this be an issue booking with Dr. Greenberg?
–According to the Cleveland Clinic, webbed penis (penoscrotal webbing) is a rare congenital condition, citing a study that reported that only 4% of subjects were found to posses the condition. However, there is generally no reason a child with this condition cannot be circumcised. We often see children for circumcision who have been turned away from other clinics due to this issue. In these cases, Dr. Greenberg carefully assesses the child to determine whether he can perform the procedure. It is very rare that Dr. Greenberg has cancelled a procedure due to this issue.
