Male Circumcision

No, your baby does not require a referral letter to obtain a Medicare rebate.

The optimal age at our clinic is 1-4 weeks but we are happy to perform the procedure on babies up to the age of 7 weeks.

We recommend a single dose of paracetamol 45 min prior to your appointment if your baby is over 4 weeks of age and 4kg weight. Topical numbing cream can also be applied 45min prior to the procedure. Your baby is given 1mL sucrose orally at the time of procedure, which is proven to reduce procedural pain for infants. The baby will undergo a nerve block with local anaestheticwhich will also prevent the baby from having any sensation in the area during the procedure.

We recommend a single dose of paracetamol 45 min prior to your appointment if your baby is over 4 weeks of age and 4kg weight. Topical numbing cream can also be applied 45min prior to the procedure. Your baby is given 1mL sucrose orally at the time of procedure, which is proven to reduce procedural pain for infants. The baby will undergo a nerve block with local anaesthetic which will also prevent the baby from having any sensation in the area during the procedure.

We use the Plastibell technique at our clinic.Itissafe, quick, and easy to manage after the operation.This involves placing a plastic ring between the head of the penis and the foreskin. A string is tied tightly around the foreskin and the excess skin is removed. The ring stays comfortably in place for 4-10 days before spontaneously falling off. This technique takes 10 minutes after the injection of anaesthetic.There are no dressings to remove. This methodrequires liberal application of Vaseline. Babies may benefit from a dose or two of Panadol in the first 24 hours following the procedure, but rarely anything after that.Complications are low in neonates.

We use the Plastibell technique at our clinic. It is safe and easy to manage after the operation. This involves placing a plastic ring between the head of the penis and the foreskin. A string is tied tightly around the foreskin and the excess skin is removed. The ring stays comfortably in place for 5-10 days before spontaneously falling off. This technique takes 10 minutes after the injection of anaesthetic. There are no dressings to remove. This method requires liberal application of Vaseline. Babies may benefit from a dose or two of Panadol in the first 24 hours following the procedure, but rarely anything after that. Complications are low in neonates.

Complications of circumcision in an infant with the Plastibell technique are rare. Occasionally, there can be bleeding which is mostly treated with pressure. If more serious bleeding occurs, please call our emergency phone number to discuss with a doctor or attend your local emergency department.

Infection is also a rare complication. The signs to look for include redness, pus, or abnormal smell from the circumcision site.

Meatal stenosis is a narrowing of the end of the urethra and is a rare complication. We prevent this by using Vaseline on the tip of the penis following the operation and whilst the child is wearing nappies. Suboptimal cosmetic result is another possible but very infrequent complication.

It is not unusual for a baby to sleep 6-8 hours after the procedure and to miss a feed. Some babies will be irritable for a number of minutes to hours afterwards. Behaviourally, most babies are back to themselves within 24-48 hours.

Complications of circumcision in an infant with the Plastibell technique are rare. Occasionally, there can be bleeding which is mostly treated with pressure. If more serious bleeding occurs, please call our emergency phone number to discuss with a doctor or attend your local emergency department.

Infection is also a rare complication. The signs to look for include redness, pus, or abnormal smell from the circumcision site.

Meatal stenosis is a narrowing of the end of the urethra and is a rare complication. We prevent this by using Vaseline on the tip of the penis following the operation and whilst the child is wearing nappies.Suboptimal cosmetic result is another possible but very infrequent complication.

After the procedure, treat the penis as normal with bathing and cleaning when changing the nappy. If any of your baby's poop is on or near the wound, gently clean it as you normally would before putting the new nappy on. Apply petroleum jelly to the entire tip of penis every nappy change as well as cover with nappy liner or chux cloth. After the Plastibell has fallen off, gently retract the remaining skin and put petroleum jelly into the groove just beneath the tip. You may need to use a Q-tip to do this.

If the ring is hanging on by a small amount, leave the ring in place and continue to lather in Vaseline until it falls off by itself.By pulling off the ring you may cause significant bleeding.

After the procedure, treat the penis as normal with regard to bathing and cleaning. If any of your baby's poop is on or near the wound, gently clean it as you normally would before putting the new nappy on. Apply Vaseline to the entire tip of penis every nappy change as well as cover with nappy liner, chux cloth or gauze square. After the Plastibell has fallen off, continue to apply Vaseline to the head of the penis. You may need to use a Q-tip to do this.

If the ring is hanging on by a small amount, leave the ring in place and continue to lather in Vaseline until it falls off by itself. By pulling off the ring you may cause significant bleeding.

Occasionally the ring needs to be removed in the office by our providers. If the ring is down on theshaft and the head of the penis is exposed, this is like having a rubber band around the penis and can cut off the blood supply. Please call our emergencyphone number IMMEDIATELY or attend your local emergency department.

Occasionally the ring needs to be removed in the office by our doctors. If the ring is down on the shaft and the whole head of the penis is exposed through the ring, this is like having a rubber band around the penis shaft and can cut off the blood supply. Please call our emergency phone number IMMEDIATELY or attend your local emergency department.

We will organise a check up at 2 weeks following the procedure but can see any patients that are worried or concerned earlier. For those living out of town, please organise a review with your GP or paediatrician.

In the few months following the circumcision the layers of skin are trying to heal themselves and often the remaining inner layer of the foreskin will reattach to the head of the penis.

This can be easily separated with minor discomfort. We are happy to review these children in the rooms non-urgently.

Equally, the adhesions will undergo spontaneous separation at some stage in the future.