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Circumcision

Circumcision is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of the foreskin, the retractable skin covering the head of the penis.

It is performed for various reasons, including cultural, religious, or medical considerations. The procedure can be done on newborns, children, or adults, and it is typically performed by a healthcare professional, such as a urologist or paediatric surgeon, in a sterile environment.

Note: Dr Savdie only performs circumcision surgery on patients aged 16 years and older.

List of Common Circumcision Conditions

  • Overview: Phimosis is a condition in which the foreskin is too tight, making it difficult or impossible to retract it over the head of the penis.
  • Causes: Congenital narrowing of the foreskin opening or scarring due to inflammation or infection.
  • Symptoms: Difficulty retracting the foreskin, pain or discomfort during erection or urination, recurrent infections.
  • Treatment: Topical corticosteroid creams, stretching exercises, circumcision in severe or recurrent cases.
  • Overview: Paraphimosis occurs when the foreskin becomes trapped behind the head of the penis, causing constriction and swelling.
  • Causes: Failure to return the foreskin to its normal position after retraction, often due to improper technique or underlying phimosis.
  • Symptoms: Pain, swelling, tightness, discoloration of the penis.
  • Treatment: Manual reduction of the foreskin to its normal position, topical anaesthesia, circumcision in recurrent cases or severe constriction.
  • Overview: Balanitis is inflammation of the glans penis, usually caused by poor hygiene, infections, or skin conditions.
  • Causes: Poor hygiene, fungal or bacterial infections, skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis), irritants.
  • Symptoms: Redness, swelling, pain, itching, discharge, foul odour.
  • Treatment: Improved hygiene, topical antifungal or antibacterial creams, corticosteroid creams for inflammation, treating underlying infections or skin conditions.
  • Overview: Meatal stenosis is a narrowing or constriction of the urethral opening (meatus) at the tip of the penis.
  • Causes: Scar tissue formation or inflammation following circumcision or other trauma.
  • Symptoms: Narrowed or slit-like urethral opening, spraying or abnormal urinary stream, discomfort during urination.
  • Treatment: Urethral dilation, meatotomy (surgical widening of the meatus), circumcision in severe cases.
  • Overview: Some individuals may seek circumcision for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons, unrelated to specific medical conditions.
  • Reasons: Personal preference, cultural or social considerations.
  • Treatment: Elective circumcision performed by a healthcare professional.
It is important to note that circumcision is a personal decision, and the medical necessity or preference for circumcision can vary among individuals and cultures. The decision for circumcision and its related conditions should be discussed with a healthcare professional who can provide appropriate guidance and recommendations based on individual circumstances.

Dr Richard Savdie

MBBS(Hons), BSc, MS, FRACS

Dr Savdie is a highly-experienced Sydney-based urologist and uro-oncology surgeon specialising in minimally-invasive robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery.

He consults and operates at multiple leading private and public hospitals around the Eastern Suburbs.

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