How is a circumcision performed?
Circumcision (posthectomy) is a surgical procedure performed in an outpatient clinic (you enter in the morning on an empty stomach and are discharged in the evening).
It’s performed under light general anaesthesia, like for a colonoscopy, and is associated with a local anaesthesia. This local anaesthesia, performed by the surgeon once the patient is asleep, eliminates immediate post-operative pain.
The foreskin resection can be full or partial. In most cases, the patient can choose if he wants to keep a portion of the foreskin. This decision will be discussed in consultation before the operation. The height of preservation of the foreskin (partial high circumcision or partial low circumcision) will also be discussed.
In case of a severe abnormality of the foreskin, the circumcision will be full.
The illustration below shows the various circumcision options.
- either partial posthectomy (circumcision) (see figure 1)
- or total posthectomy (circumcision) (see figure 2)
Partial circumcision – full circumcision – Dr Marc Galiano – Paris
Post-operative pain is minimal and can easily be relieved by simple painkillers. However, after surgery and for 15 days, tension may occur during erections at the suture thread. This discomfort will cease when the penis returns to resting position.
In some cases, there may be post-operative hypersensitivity of the glans for 15 days to 3 weeks. Most of the time, this hypersensitivity already existed before the procedure. For patients in whom this hypersensitivity is too great, a desensitisation protocol is planned before surgery.
Hematoma of the penile sheath can sometimes occur. It goes away on its own within 10-15 days.
Simple dressings can be easily applied by the patient until the disappearance of the absorbable sutures (about 15 days). For 15 days following the operation, baths, sexual intercourse and sports are not recommended.