Circumcision: Risks

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Risks

Complications from circumcision are rare. Minor complications are usually short-term and may include:^{2, 3}

• Pain. A baby may experience obvious pain when he urinates for the first time after surgery. Pain may continue for up to 2 weeks, whenever the healing skin comes in contact with urine and stool. But usually the most noticeable pain goes away within 3 or 4 days. Keep in mind that even though your baby's penis starts feeling better after 3 days, it may look worse. About 7 to 10 days after the procedure, the penis will usually look like it's healing.
• Oozing or slight bleeding from the surgical site.
• Infection of the circumcision site or at the opening to the urethra (urinary meatitis).
• Irritation of the exposed tip of the penis (glans) as a result of contact with stool and/or urine. You may help prevent this type of discomfort by applying petroleum jelly to the head of the penis.

Long-term minor complications are also rare but can include:^{2, 3}

• Damage to the opening of the urethra, which leads from the bladder to the tip of the penis (meatal stenosis).
• Loss of sensitivity in the penis. Some men who were circumcised have reported a loss of sexual sensation in the penis.
• Scarring of the penis from infection or surgical error. For example:
  • The entire foreskin may not be removed, leaving portions of it attached to the penis (skin bridge). This may cause pain during erection.
  • Scar tissue can grow outward toward the tip of the penis from the cut edge of the foreskin. Repeat surgery on the penis may be required to improve appearance or to allow normal passage of urine if the opening from the bladder has been blocked by this scar tissue.
  • The outer skin layer (or layers) of the penis may be removed accidentally.
  • An opening that is too small for the foreskin to retract over the penis (phimosis) can occur if too little foreskin is removed.

Major complications are extremely rare but can include:^{2, 3}

• A complete removal of the skin covering the shaft of the penis, causing the penis to appear to have been completely surgically removed (concealed penis).
• Excessive bleeding. Stitches may be required to stop the bleeding.
• Serious, life-threatening bacterial infection in body tissue and the blood (sepsis).
• Partial or full removal (amputation) of the tip of the penis (extremely rare).

Last updated:	February 19, 2008
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC