Abstract
The excessive removal of skin and mucosa is one of the most common complications of neonatal circumcision, yet the true frequency of this complication and its adverse effects on physical and psychological development has not been adequately documented. A personal account is presented of the lifelong trauma associated with a routine neonatal circumcision in which almost all penile shaft skin was removed in addition to the preputial skin and mucosa. The trauma of this iatrogenic injury exerted a negative effect on physical and psychological development, including sexuality, perceived place in society, and career. Reconstructive surgery to resolve the physical injury yielded disappointing results. Partial resolution of the psychological trauma has been achieved through a combination of ongoing counseling, successful litigation, and an emphasis by the victim on public education in regard to the detrimental effects of routine neonatal circumcision.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Szabo R, Short RV. How does male circumcision protect against HIV infection? BMJ 2000;320(7249): 1592–4.
Kanawati N, Hassan A. The Teti Cemetery at Saqqara. vol. II. The Tomb of Ankhmahor. The Australian Centre for Egyptology: Reports 9. Warminster: Aris & Phillips Ltd. 1997. pp. 49–50.
Bailey E. Circumcision in ancient Egypt. The Bulletin of the Australian Centre for Egyptology. 1996; 7:15–28.
Roth AM. Egyptian Phyles in the Old Kingdom: The Evolution of a System of Social Organization. Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago; 1991. pp. 62–75.
Spiegelman M. The circumcision scene in the tomb of Ankhmahor: the first record of emergency surgery. The Bulletin of the Australian Centre for Egyptology 1997;8:91–100.
See the discussion in: Hodges FM. The ideal prepuce in ancient Greece and Rome: male genital aesthetics and their relation to lipodermos, circumcision, foreskin restoration, and the kynodesmē. Bulletin of the History of Medicine 2001;75:375–405.
Duckett JW. The neonatal circumcision debate. In: King LR, editor. Urologic Surgery in Neonates & Young Infants. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1988. pp. 291–9.
Broecker BH. Circumcision. In: Glen JE, Graham SD, Boyce WH, Turner-Warnick R, Brendler CB, et al., editors. Urologic Surgery. Philadelphia: Lippincott; 1991. pp. 841–4.
Clark P. On the penis. In: Operations in Urology. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 1985. pp. 107–112. [here, p. 111.]
Kaplan GW. Complications of circumcision. Urol Clin North Am 1983;10(3):543–9.
Redman JF. Rare penile anomalies presenting with complication of circumcision. Urology 1988;32(2):130–2.
Wiswell TE, Geschke DW. Risks from circumcision during the first month of life compared with those for uncircumcised boys. Pediatrics 1989;83(6):1011–5.
Berman W. Letter: Urinary retention due to ritual circumcision. Pediatrics 1975;56(4):621.
Bennett HJ, Weissman M. Circumcisions: knowledge isn’t enough. Pediatrics 1981;68(5):750.
Ritchey ML, Bloom DA. Re: Skin bridge-a complication of paediatric circumcision. Br J Urol 1991;68(3):331.
Talarico RD, Jasaitis JE. Concealed penis: a complication of neonatal circumcision. J Urol 1973;110(6):732–3.
Sussman SJ, Schiller RP, Shashikumar VL. Fournier’s syndrome. Report of three cases and review of the literature. Am J Dis Child 1978;132(12):1189–91.
Menahem S. Complications arising from ritual circumcision: pathogenesis and possible prevention. Isr J Med Sci 1981;17(1):45–8.
Kaplan GW. Circumcision — an overview. Curr Probl Pediatr 1977;7(5):1–33.
Kaplan GW. Circumcision — an overview. Curr Probl Pediatr 1977;7(5):1–33.
Lackey JT, Mannion RA, Kerr JE. Urethral fistula following circumcision. Jama 1968;206(10):2318.
Limaye RD, Hancock RA. Penile urethral fistula as a complication of circumcision. J Pediatr 1968;72(1):105–6.
Redman JF. Rare penile anomalies presenting with complication of circumcision. Urology 1988;32(2):130–2.
McGowan AJ. A complication of circumcision. JAMA 1969;207(11):2104–5.
Vyas PR, Roth DR, Perlmutter AD. Experience with free grafts in urethral reconstruction. J Urol 1987;137(3):471–4.
Hanash KA. Plastic reconstruction of partially amputated penis at circumcision. Urology 1981;18(3):291–3.
Palmer JM, Link D. Impotence following anesthesia for elective circumcision. JAMA 1979;241(24):2635–6.
Ball JR, Grounds AD. Head injury, hypopituitarism and paranoid psychosis: Circumcision for the “Singapore virus”. Med J Aust 1974;2(11):403–5.
Flaherty JA. Circumcision and schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry 1980;41(3):96–8.
Rosefsky JB. Glans necrosis as a complication of circumcision. Pediatrics 1967;39(5):774–6.
Sterenberg N, Golan J, Ben-Hur N. Necrosis of the glans penis following neonatal circumcision. Plast Reconstr Surg 1981;68(2):237–9.
St Margaret’s Hospital for Women (Sydney) vs McKibben. Hearing before the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Court of Appeal. BC8701368. 14 May 1987.
Gearhart JP, Rock JA. Total ablation of the penis after circumcision with electrocautery: a method of management and long-term followup. J Urol 1989;142(3):799–801.
Hanash KA. Plastic reconstruction of partially amputated penis at circumcision. Urology 1981;18(3):291–3.
Izzidien AY. Successful replantation of a traumatically amputated penis in a neonate. J Pediatr Surg 1981;16(2):202–3.
Gairdner DM. The fate of the foreskin: A study of circumcision. BMJ 1949;2:1433–7.
Gee WF, Ansell JS. Neonatal circumcision: a ten-year overview: with comparison of the Gomco clamp and the Plastibell device. Pediatrics 1976;58(6):824–7.
Gearhart JP, Rock JA. Total ablation of the penis after circumcision with electrocautery: a method of management and long-term followup. J Urol 1989;142(3):799–801.
Money J. Ablatio penis: normal male infant sex-reassigned as a girl. Arch Sex Behav 1975;4(1):65–71.
Diamond M, Sigmundson K. Sex Reassignment at Birth: Long-term Review and Clinical Implications. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997;151(3):298–304.
Patel H. The problem of routine circumcision. Can Med Assoc J 1966;95(11):576–81.
Gee WF, Ansell JS. Neonatal circumcision: a ten-year overview: with comparison of the Gomco clamp and the Plastibell device. Pediatrics 1976;58(6):824–7.
Clark P. On the penis. In: Operations in Urology. New York. Churchill Livingstone; 1985. pp. 107–112. [here, p. 111.]
Taylor JR, Lockwood AP, Taylor AJ. The prepuce: specialized mucosa of the penis and its loss to circumcision. Br J Urol 1996;77(2):291–5.
Jordan GH. Grafts and flaps in urology. In: Glen JE, Graham SD, Boyce WH, Turner-Warnick R, Brendler CB, et al., editors. Urologic Surgery. Philadelphia. Lippincott; 1991. pp. 1085–97.
Jordan GH, Schlossberg SM, Devine CJ. Surgery of the penis and urethra. In: Walsh PC, Retick AB, Vaughan ED, Wein AJ. Campbell’s Urology, 4 vols., 7th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 1998. vol. 2. pp. 3316–33.
Jordan GH, Schlossberg SM, Devine CJ. Surgery of the penis and urethra. In: Walsh PC, Retick AB, Vaughan ED, Wein AJ. Campbell’s Urology, 4 vols., 7th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 1998. vol. 2. pp. 3316–33.
Hermans MH. Duoderm E in the treatment of donor sites: a report. Annals of the MBC 1990;3(3):166–9. [September 1990]
Stanley D. Shane’s circumcision nightmare: I wish I’d never been born. Woman’s Day (Sydney, Australia), (1 May 2000): pp. 24–5.
A report to the Attorney-General prepared by the Family Law Council. Sterilisation and Other Medical Procedures on Children. Commonwealth of Australia 1994.
Taylor JR, Lockwood AP, Taylor AJ. The prepuce: specialized mucosa of the penis and its loss to circumcision. Br J Urol 1996;77(2):291–5.
Siegel-Itzkovich J. Baby’s penis reattached after botched circumcision. BMJ 2000;321(7260):529. [2 September 2000]
Siegel-Itzkovich J. Israel’s health ministry ends circumcisers’ monopoly. BMJ 2001;322(7277):10. [6 January 2001]
Weiss GN, Weiss EB. A perspective on controversies over neonatal circumcision. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 1994;33(12):726–30.
Taddio A, Pollock N, Gilbert-MacLeond C, Ohlsson K, et al. Combined analgesia and local anesthesia to minimize pain during circumcision. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154(6):620–3.
Anand KJ, Hickey PR. Pain and its effects in the human neonate and fetus. N Engl J Med 1987;317(21):1321–9. [19 November 1987]
Rickwood AM, Kenny SE, Donnell SC. Towards evidence based circumcision of English boys: survey of trends in practice. BMJ 2000;321(7264):792–3. [30 September 2000]
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Peterson, S.E. (2001). Assaulted and Mutilated. In: Denniston, G.C., Hodges, F.M., Milos, M.F. (eds) Understanding Circumcision. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3351-8_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3351-8_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-3375-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-3351-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive