CIRCUMCISION – A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Circumcision

Abstract

Background: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in department of surgery in Military Hospital Rawalpindi from September 2003 to January 2004 with the aim to compare the results of one of the most commonly performed surgical procedure, circumcision, by open and bone-cutter method in terms of complications  such as  trauma to glans, bleeding and infection alongwith cosmetic outcome.

 Patients and Methods: Total 200 patients were selected from Out Patients Department on the basis of non-probability convenient sampling. After careful history taking and physical examination, patients fulfilling the criteria were identified into two equal groups, one underwent open method circumcision and the other bone cutter circumcision. Parents were instructed to follow up in the surgical OPD after seven days for assessment and earlier in case of any complication.

Results: There was insignificant different in terms of bleeding, superficial infection, cosmetic appearance and trauma to glans (P-value > 0.05).

Conclusion: Both methods proved to be safe and effective techniques with reproducible results but it is important to emphasize that trauma to glans; a well known and catastrophic complication is more common with bone cutter circumcision especially in the hands of an inexperienced operator.