Urologic Conditions in Infants and Children: Circumcision

Circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin (ie, prepuce) of the penis. Among high-resource countries, the United States is the only country in which the majority of newborns are circumcised for nonreligious reasons. The rate of circumcision in the United States has been decreasing. Circumcised males have a lower risk of urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and several sexually transmitted infections. The benefit of circumcision is greater for males with certain urologic conditions, such as isolated hydronephrosis, vesicoureteral reflux, and ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Complications develop in approximately 1 of every 200 procedures. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend continued access to circumcision on an elective basis and conclude that the benefits outweigh the risks. However, they do not endorse routine neonatal circumcision. Local anesthesia should be used to decrease pain during the procedure. Three devices commonly are used. Each has risks and benefits, and no one device has been proven to be superior to another.