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Published on: June 3, 2022
[The need of circumcision or prepuce dilation. A study with 1200 boys]
Julio C Morales Concepción1, Pedro González Fernández, Aymée Morales Aránegui
1Hospitales Pediátricos Centro Habana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
Archivos Espanoles De Urologia
|August 19, 2008
Summary
Preputial retractability naturally increases with age, becoming fully developed by puberty. Circumcision and forced dilation are generally unnecessary for pediatric foreskin development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
Background:
- The foreskin (prepuce) covers the glans penis at birth.
- Natural development leads to foreskin retraction with age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the age-related increase in preputial retractability.
- To evaluate the efficacy of childhood circumcision and forced foreskin dilation.
Main Methods:
- Assessed preputial development and retractability in 1200 boys aged 0-16 years.
- Classified retractability using a five-type system (Type I-V).
Main Results:
- Only 3.7% of infants under one year had fully retractable foreskins (Type V), compared to 80.9% of adolescents (11-16 years).
- Forced dilation did not prevent adhesions; 43.1% of previously dilated boys had limited retractability.
- Circumcision was required in only 0.4% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Foreskin adhesions naturally resolve by puberty in most boys.
- Routine childhood circumcision or forced dilation is largely unnecessary.
- Interventions may even lead to new adhesions.
