Understanding Circumcisions
BENEFITS AND CARE
Circumcision is a big decision for parents, and there is a lot of contradicting information available online. We put this information together to help you make an informed decision on whether circumcision is the right choice for your child.
Helping prevent recurrence of urinary tract infections
Of all the medical benefits of circumcision, helping prevent another urinary tract infection is at the top of the list. There is good evidence that over 90% of all urinary tract infections in male infants in the first three months of life are in those not circumcised. A recent summary from the American Academy of Paediatrics found that circumcision is the only clear preventive procedure against urinary track infections.
Questionable claims
There are many other claimed benefits such as prevention of cancer of the penis, less cancer in women, and AIDS prevention. The first two have not really been proven. Prevention of AIDS may be important, and in many African countries there are a large number of circumcisions being done for this reason. A number of important AIDS specialists have endorsed circumcision as a preventive measure.
Care after the circumcision
Every family is given two pages of detailed instructions about the care of the circumcision after the procedure. In fact, the care is quite simple. There is Vaseline gauze to remove two hours later and a special yellow gauze to remove two days later. This yellow gauze has built into it a medication to control infection and bleeding.
Helping prevent a first urinary tract infection from occuring
There is also good evidence that preventing a urinary track infection from happening in the first place is a major benefit of circumcision.
Circumcision complications
The most important complication is bleeding. A very few number of babies will have a small infection. In very rare cases, there can be some injury to the head of the penis.
Dr. Murray Katz MDCM is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University. He has practiced pediatric medicine for the past 35 years. For 13 years he was the Medical Director of the Tiny Tots Medical Centre in Dollard Des Ormeaux.
He is a certified Mohel (religious circumcision official) and often works at synagogues alongside a Rabbi. He has taught circumcision procedures to over 25 other physicians, including certified pediatric urologists. Dr. Katz has performed over 40,000 circumcision procedures.
Dr. Katz no longer performs circumcisions and his practice continues via the Circumcision Montreal Clinic. Contact us to book and appointment or with questions.