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Children's health

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Original poster

Circumcision - Urologist or Surgeon

13 replies

ALWgreenwich · 14/12/2009 13:26

hi - this is a tip to anyone who is considering circumcision... Our 3 year old son was circumcised 3 months ago; while I can say I am happy that circumcision was required what I would say is ensure you go to a Urgologist rather than a general surgeon. As we went privately we were told by our GP to just ring and find a consultant to do the surgery, which we did at our local private hospital (I get private medical insurance via work so thought we'd get it done at our convenience). This was a bad decision.
The surgeon assured us he has done lots of circumcisions on children, and it was definitely necessary. He did a checkup appointment after 1 month (which to my view was too soon as the penis was still healing). Anyway - we were told by a dermatologist who coincidentally saw DS 2 months post-op to go for a second opinion as in his view the surgeon had done 'not a good job'. Saw an excellent Urologist in Portland Hospital who was measured in his response, but said it leaves a lot to be desired cosmetically and we should now consider cosmetic surgery in the next year to tidy it up.
I am also concerned as he can only now get a weak erection and barely has them at all.The urologist assures me not to worry about this aspect but I remain unconvinced!
Anyway - I don't want to name names but choose carefully (if you get the choice)! Our surgeon should have told us he was not the best person to do the job, and perhaps he's not up to date with latest techniques in specialised surgery. We now have to face further surgery which is not going to be pleasant to say the least (it was horrendous the first time round!)

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MadameCastafiore · 14/12/2009 13:37

You should have gone to a specialist paeds urologist, your doctor should have named someone and not just let you go off and find someone.

And you really need to think about the logic of a dermatologist telling you about issues that he knows feck all about really, he is a skin doctor!! I would go back to your doctor and see a specialist paeds urologist and if he needs it done because he cannot get or maintain an erection that is fine but I think you are mad to put him through another op for cosmetic reasons.

littleducks · 14/12/2009 13:41

don't you think that at 3 it is hard to judge if he can get a maintain an erection on what sounds like a still sore penis?

Lulumama · 14/12/2009 13:51

it is a GPs job to refer you to a specific consultatnt surely , rathr than you picking someone out?

agree 3 is too young to worry about his erection

wingandprayer · 14/12/2009 13:58

You say circumcision "was required". If that's the case, why weren't you referred to a paed urologist on the NHS? Have you ever seen a urologist?

My son had a problem which we assumed would mean circumcision, actually it didn't, but it took a specialised urologist to sort it out.

Original poster

ALWgreenwich · 15/12/2009 16:34

Hi - no we weren't referred to a urologist at all prior to the circumcision. I think we slipped through the gap in the way the private consultant referral works at our GP clinic (they write a referral letter to whoever you want!), and in retrospect we definitely should have spent longer researching everything first not just trusting the word of the surgeon.

To anyone who finds themselves in a similar boat do ensure you see the right person, don't just assume the system will do that for you.

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wingandprayer · 15/12/2009 20:48

Sorry I still don't understand. Did your GP diagnose a problem that he said required circumcision but then refused to refer you to a urologist, either NHS or private? Or did you jump the gun as it were and said you wanted to go private from the offset so he never bothered with the NHS referral?

Did your son have a hyperspadia by any chance?

seeker · 15/12/2009 21:09

The last thing you should be worried about at this stage is his ability to maintain an erection - is this a 'real" thread?

wingandprayer · 15/12/2009 21:37

That's what I was wondering Seeker. Just seems too odd a situation.

Original poster

ALWgreenwich · 16/12/2009 12:04

hi all - yes it does seem strange I grant you but honestly it did all happen!
Our GP diagnosed balinitis and referred us to a paediatrician, as soon as we said we had private insurance she left it open to us to name the paediatrician, her secretrary would fill in the blanks on the referral letter and essentially the GP left it there. I rang the private hospital who said they didn't have a paediatrician but instead said we could see a surgeon who also did paediatric surgery, I spoke to the paediatric surgeon's secretary who assured me he was the right person to see for a 3 year old's possible circumcision, we booked the appointment (after checking with the GP's practice manager that a surgeon was the right person to see) and on the day of the appointment the surgeon went through options for steroid cream but recommended a circumcision due to to my DS's 'pinhole meatus' (sp?). From that point on it was all systems go...
I only mentioned i have concerns about his sensitivity and ability in that area as an adjunct to the fact that it would appear the surgeon did a bad job at least cosmetically! There is nothing sinister let me assure you, I am definitely his mum just trying to think about his future!
Anyway - it would appear we got lost in the vaguaries of the 'system' so again, I only posted this as a warning message to anyone who finds themselves in a similar boat.

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Original poster

ALWgreenwich · 16/12/2009 12:14

PS - Wing and a Prayer - no - from what i've just read ''hyperspadia' is when the hole is on the side? In which case - no, he had (quoting the letter from the surgeon) a 'pinhole meatus'.
After surgery the surgeon did say that the foreskin was completely joined to the glans and could not have retracted, so that's why I've said I am happy that it was necessary to do a circumcision (his dad/uncle and grandfather have all had to be circumcised too so it was no big surprise!)

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Original poster

ALWgreenwich · 16/12/2009 12:17

PS - just re-read my post - i meant dad AND uncle, not 'or' (not that sort of a family )

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carrieboo75 · 16/12/2009 12:27

Little boys do not need surgery for balinitis . It it normal in 3 year olds, two of my three had it, as have quite a few of their friends. Antibiotics clear it up just fine and as they grown up and the foreskin adhesions start to break down they grow out of it.

Gracie123 · 15/03/2011 14:22

okay, I know this is a really old thread, but no one is responding to mine and I hoped one of you might.

My 3yo needs a circumcision for medical reasons. Have seen peadiatric urologist and other specialists and no other course of treatment has worked.

It's finally come down to booking the surgery. How did you prepare your 3yo for it?
What should I tell him about what's going to happen?
How prepared was your boy for it?

We are actually having it done with a plastibell, so it will most certainly not still be healing at the one month check unless there is a massive problem. I'm told it should be around 10-14 days.

Any advice?

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