This summer, many parents have taken their children to the hospital for circumcision surgery, but many parents are worried that circumcision surgery will be very painful and their children cannot bear it. Today, Director Ye Daoyin of Jing Shun Urology Department will answer this question for all parents.
The circumcision surgery is performed under local anesthesia in the outpatient surgical room. During the entire process, there is only a slight pain sensation when injecting the anesthetic, with the pain level similar to that of a child receiving a vaccination, lasting for a few seconds. 1 to 2 minutes after the anesthetic injection, the penile area will completely lose sensation, and the surgery will be painless throughout. 2 to 3 days after the surgery, the patient can resume normal activities without any discomfort, and the wound can completely heal in about 2 weeks. Therefore, choosing to have circumcision surgery for children during the summer vacation provides ample time and rest, making it a wise choice.
How should you take care of the wound at home after the surgery?
1. Wound care: The wound usually takes 7 to 10 days to initial heal and form scabs. Therefore, it is best not to take a bath within 7 days to avoid getting the wound wet. After 7 days, when scabs start to form and wound exudation decreases, you can take a simple shower. If there is significant bleeding, excessive exudation, or pus discharge, promptly seek medical attention at the hospital.
2. Bleeding management: If there is a small amount of slow bleeding from the wound, it is normal and will usually stop on its own. However, if there is significant bleeding, or continuous dripping, apply clean gauze (available at pharmacies) to compress the wound for about 15 to 20 minutes until the bleeding stops. If self-stoppage of bleeding is not successful, seek medical attention promptly.
3. Reduce unnecessary activities and excessive erections: Avoid strenuous activities within 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery to alleviate wound pain and swelling and prevent hindering wound healing. For adolescent boys experiencing physiological morning erections, they should urinate promptly to end the erection.
4. Within 2 weeks after the surgery, you can use disinfectant solution to sterilize the wound 1 to 2 times a day. Also, remember to change underwear regularly, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming spicy or irritating foods.
5. After circumcision, there may be a light yellow discharge from the glans, which will scab in about a week and naturally fall off within 2 to 4 weeks. During this process, avoid forcibly pulling the scab to prevent aggravating the wound.
Currently, there are two main surgical methods for circumcision: traditional sleeve-type circumcision and disposable circumcision stapler. The stapler can simultaneously cut and suture, and due to its advantages of short surgical time, minimal surgical trauma, and rapid postoperative recovery, it has become the mainstream surgical method.
Many people think that circumcision is a surgery done for children only, but in fact, there is no specific age limit for circumcision surgery, it all depends on suitability and necessity. Many adults and even elderly people may need circumcision surgery if they experience urinary abnormalities, phimosis, recurrent infections, or psychological disturbances due to long foreskin, causing significant distress in their daily lives. Especially for diabetes patients, who are more likely to develop foreskin glans inflammation, which can lead to severe phimosis or urethral meatus stenosis. Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable, seek medical attention promptly, and do not delay treatment, to avoid missing the optimal treatment time. “There are no small operations on small organs,” parents of boys must visit a formal urology department in a hospital to seek professional advice from a specialist.
