Checklist assessment tool to evaluate suitability and success of neonatal clamp circumcision: A prospective study

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Task Force on Circumcision has called for the development of standards of trainee proficiency in regards to evaluation and technique for neonatal clamp circumcision (NCC). At the present time, there is no standardized or general consensus on patient selection for NCC. An improved method to evaluate newborns for NCC is an important first step in this process. Therefore, the authors collaborated to identify criteria useful in the evaluation of newborns for suitability for NCC, and for assessment of success after NCC and have named it "Checklist Assessment for Neonatal Clamp Circumcision Suitability."

A national multi-institutional collaboration was created to obtain consensus on objective criteria for use in determining patient suitability for NCC, and for assessing post-circumcision success outcomes. Criteria included elements from detailed medical history, bedside physical examination, and post-circumcision follow-up. Patients desiring NCC were enrolled consecutively and prospectively. The Checklist was followed to determine which newborns were suited to NCC, and NCC was done in those cases. The patients' caretakers were given post-circumcision care instructions and a follow-up appointment. Post circumcision, the Checklist was followed to determine if the procedure resulted in a successful circumcision or if there were complications.

A total of 193 cases were enrolled prospectively and consecutively from January 2014 through October 2014. The mean age was 15 days (1-30 days). Of those 193 patients, 129 (67%) were deemed suitable for circumcision and underwent NCC. Post-circumcision assessment showed a 100% success rate with no complications. A total of 64 (23%) cases were deemed unsuitable for NCC because at least one checklist criterion was not satisfied, most commonly: penile torsion (n = 25), chordee (n = 19), and penoscrotal webbing (n = 19).

Use of the Checklist in the present study has demonstrated a method of patient screening resulting in a 100% success rate with no complications. A high proportion of patients (33%) was identified as unsuited for NCC; however, the patient population consisted of newborn males referred to pediatric urology, and thus does not represent the general population, which is expected to have a lower proportion of unsuited patients. Regardless, the Checklist has the potential to enhance the decision-making process for both urologic and non-urologic care providers.

The use of the "Checklist Assessment for Neonatal Clamp Circumcision Suitability" assessment tool improves identification of patients unsuited for NCC and thereby potentially decreases the likelihood of circumcision-related complications.