Scrotal injuries during neonatal circumcision

To report very rarely encountered scrotal injuries during neonatal circumcision. Hospitals and physicians in the authors' country are mandated to report circumcision complications to the Ministry of Health. Those reports include the discharge summary from the emergency room or the admitting department. This is believed to be the first case series describing scrotal injuries during ritual circumcision.

Reports of all circumcision complications between 2007 and 2014 were evaluated. Retrieved data on cases of scrotal injuries included patient's age, time between injury and hospital admission, nature of the injury, and administered treatment.

Twelve of a total of 489 reports of circumcision injuries involved the scrotum (2.5%). All circumcisions were performed during the neonatal period, and the infants were admitted on the day of injury. The only related genital injury was significant shortage of penile skin reported in six patients. Scrotal exploration and skin closure in the operating room was undertaken in six cases, five under general anesthesia. Suture closure in the emergency department was performed in three patients, and the scrotal skin was left to heal with secondary intention in three other patients. Scrotal content injury that extended to the tunica vaginalis of the testis was noted in one exploration.

The injuries sustained by the 12 study infants were mostly superficial and are not expected to cause long-term damage, although half of the patients required treatment under general anesthesia in the operating room or under sedation in the emergency department. While all reported patients emerged unscathed from the anesthetic procedures, the possible immediate complications of anesthesia as well as its long-term effects are not to be taken lightly, especially when treating a newborn. Further education of medical providers as well as performers of ritual circumcisions may help lower the risk of this rare injury as well as other more severe complications.

Scrotal injury during neonatal circumcision is rare. While half of the 12 reported patients required exploration in the operating room, the injuries were mostly superficial and did not involve scrotal content, although they often involved extensive resection of penile skin.