Documented severe complications of circumcision: Difference between revisions

On August 27th of 2012 the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]] (AAP), a [[medical trade association]], presented a new Policy Statement on Circumcision and Technical Report stating that "the benefits outweigh the risks", yet when it comes to severe complications like the ones presented here, the technical report states that "Financial costs of care, emotional tolls, or the need for future corrective surgery (with the attendant anesthetic risks, family stress, and expense) are unknown".<ref>{{REFjournal

  |title=Male Circumcision - Technical Report

  |journal=Pediatrics

"[S]ome of the serious complications that can occur during the procedure include [[death]] from excess [[bleeding]] and [[amputation]] of the [[glans penis]]. Postoperative complications include the formation of [[skin bridges]] between the shaft and the [[glans]], [[infection]], urinary retention (this has caused deaths), meatal ulcer, impetigo, fistulas, loss of penile sensitivity, sexual dysfunction and oedema of the glans." They also acknowledge that the frequency of complications is "underestimated because events occurring after the discharge are not captured [in the discharge sheet]" and sometimes are treated at a different hospital.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.malecircumcision.org/research/documents/Neonatal_child_MC_global_review.pdf

  |title=Neonatal and child male circumcision: a global review

  |last=Weiss

  |publisher=UNAIDS

  |date=2010

  |accessdate=2012-11-23

The Royal Dutch Medical Association states:  

<blockquote>

"There is no convincing evidence that circumcision is useful or necessary in terms of prevention or hygiene. Partly in the light of the complications which can arise during or after circumcision, circumcision is not justifiable except on medical/therapeutic grounds."

"There are good reasons for a legal prohibition of non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors, as exists for female genital mutilation. However, the KNMG fears that a legal prohibition would result in the intervention being performed by non-medically qualified individuals in circumstances in which the quality of the intervention could not be sufficiently guaranteed."<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=https://www.i2researchhub.org/wp-content/uploads/storage/EC48XDC7/KNMG-viewpoint-Non-therapeutic-circumcision-of-male-minors-27-05-2010-v2.pdf

  |title=Viewpoint about non-therapeutic circumcision of minors

  |publisher=KNMG

  |date=2010

  |accessdate=2012-11-23

== [[NOHARMM]] ==

Over $80 Million in Settlements Over Botched Circumcisions in Last 40 Years. Attorneys for the Rights of the Child has published a list of cases over botched circumcisions that have resulted in disclosed settlements. Privately arranged settlements and sealed settlements are both highly unlikely to appear in the list. Accordingly, this list grossly underestimates the number of successful circumcision-related lawsuits and the cost of male circumcision. See [http://www.arclaw.org/resources/settlements List of Legal Victories Proving Harm Caused by Circumcision]

==2021==

A family in Perth, Western Australia, took two healthy brothers to a clinic in Gosnell (a suburb of Perth) for non-therapeutic circumcisions on 7 December 2021. The two-year-old died that evening. The seven-month-old was rushed to [https://www.pch.health.wa.gov.au/ Perth Children's Hospital] for emergency surgery to stop hemorrhage and to prevent him from [[bleeding]] out.<ref>{{REFnews

  |title=Toddler, 2, dies and his baby brother is fighting for life 'after botched circumcisions' as homicide cops are called to investigate

  |date=2021-12-08

  |accessdate=2022-01-05

}}</ref>

The boy, of nine years of age, was circumcised 5 years ago, in Barberton Hospital in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barberton,_Mpumalanga Barberton], South Africa. The glans was amputated. The intern who performed the procedure reattached the glans, but five days later it separated again. A new procedure was performed to attach it one more time, and it failed again. According to his mother, the boy to this day feels pain when he urinates, and the doctor told her he will need to undergo further medical treatments in order to be able to have sex in the future, and may have some sexual dysfunction related to decreased sensation and inability to reach orgasm due to the [[amputation]] of the glans according to an urologist. There may also be resulting psycho-social problems as a consequence of the [[amputation]], related to low self-esteem.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/r10m-lawsuit-over-botched-circumcision-1.1529015#.UbSA0OfbPQj

  |title=R10m lawsuit over botched circumcision

  |publisher=iol News

  |date=2013-06-07

  |accessdate=2013-06-09

On May 30th, a baby became unconscious during a circumcision ceremony in [[Israel]]. Paramedics found the baby was not breathing and had no pulse. They performed resuscitation techniques and took the baby to the hospital in critical condition. The baby died on June 7th. The Chief Rabbinate of [[Israel]] attributes the death to a "previously existing medical condition". According to Jewish Press, "After investigating the circumstances of the case, it was discovered that the circumcision had actually been performed flawlessly, and apparently baby choked during feeding".<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/baby-dies-in-israeli-hospital-following-circumcision/2013/06/07/

  |title=Baby Dies in Israeli Hospital following Circumcision

  |publisher=Jewish Press

  |date=2013-06-07

  |accessdate=2019-09-03

}}</ref><ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/baby-in-critical-condition-after-circumcision/

  |title= Baby in critical condition after circumcision

  |publisher=Times of Israel

  |date=2013-05-30

  |accessdate=2013-06-07

The family of a 3-year-old child whose penis was cut off during a collective circumcision feast in the southeastern [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_Province province of Batman], Turkey has demanded 2 million Turkish Liras in compensation from the Ministry of Health by applying to the Council of State.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/Default.aspx?pageID=238&nid=38346&op=sent

  |title=Child's penis cut off in circumcision feast, family claims two million TL compensation

  |publisher=Hurriyet Daily News

  |date=2013-01-06

  |accessdate=2012-11-23

Attorneys Timothy S. Tomasik and Daniel M. Kotin, of Tomasik Kotin Kasserman LLC, represented the plaintiff. According to Kotin, "The defendants claimed that this was a known complication which could happen during a circumcision. But the truth is, it is the oldest surgical procedure known to man and the most common one performed on baby boys in America. If this was truly a known risk, then nobody would dare have a circumcision."<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130529-911227.html

  |title=Seven-Figure Verdict in "Botched" Circumcision Case

  |publisher=Wall Street Journal

  |date=2013-05-29

  |accessdate=2013-06-07

Two New York City Jewish newborns contracted [[herpes]] in three from oral suctioning (Metzitzah b'Peh) conducted during ritual circumcision (Bris Milah), according to New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In January 2013, New York’s health department began mandating parents of infants about to undergo ritual Jewish circumcision to sign a consent form permitting [[mohel]]s to use the oral method, known as metzitzah b’peh. In the recent case of [[herpes]] contraction, the parents did not sign that form, ''The Forward'' reported. The infant survived, but it is not yet clear whether he sustained any long-term damage.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/Default.aspx?pageID=238&nid=38346&op=sent

  |title=NYC baby gets herpes from circumcision ritual

  |publisher=Jerusalem Post

  |date=2013-04-05

  |accessdate=2013-06-07

Imran's grandfather Ayub Khan said: "The circumcision was carried out by Dr Tayyab Khan, a physician at Sania Hospital. He is not a surgeon. The licence of the hospital should be cancelled for carelessness."<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/7-year-old-loses-genitals-after-circumcision-fighting-for-life/articleshow/17330245.cms

  |title=7-year-old loses genitals after circumcision, fighting for life

Saudi Arabia, August 02, 2012. Father of child who lapsed into coma after circumcision procedure demands probe. After investigations, doctors found that the child had a severe lung infection caused by the anesthesia. He was hooked to a mechanical ventilator and given antibiotics. The next day, the ICU doctor called the father and told him that Muhammad’s condition had deteriorated further and he suffered from a collapsed lung. Doctors operated on the child to stabilize his condition.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20120802131864

  |title=Father of child who lapsed into coma after circumcision procedure demands probe

  |publisher=Saudi Gazette

  |date=2012-08-02

Irak, 14 August 2012. Twin Boys Genitals Amputated After Circumcision. Two three-year-old twin brothers have had their genitals amputated after a circumcision operation went horribly wrong in Khanaqin. Khanaqin hospital media official Arian Qader said: "Unfortunately an unwanted incident occurred while circumcising the two boys. After the operation went wrong, their penises were amputated. Now they urinate using plastic tubes".<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.iraqupdates.com/free-news/health/twin-boys-genitals-amputated-after-circumcision-op-goes-wrong/2012-08-14

  |title=Twin boys' genitals amputated after circumcision op goes wrong

[[Israel]], June 1st 2012. Muslim Baby Hospitalized After Botched Circumcision. The infant’s Muslim parents brought their child to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa after the ritual circumciser accidentally dismembered the child’s penis. Urologists and surgeons worked to reattach the detached organ and said they expect the procedure to be successful.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/baby-hospitalized-after-botched-circumcision/

  |title=Baby hospitalized after botched circumcision

A newborn can become infected when the [[mohel|adult]] performing the circumcision places his mouth on the circumcision wound to siphon blood away from the cut. The ritual is only embraced by a handful of sects within the Orthodox Jewish community, according to New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/08/11-new-york-infants-infected-with-herpes-through-ritual-in-jewish-circumcision/

  |title=11 New York infants infected with herpes through ritual in Jewish circumcision

  |publisher=Fox News

  |date=2012-06-08

Texas, March 2011. A doctor botched a circumcision of a 4-year-old Texas boy so badly that the boy pleaded to "just cut it off and (he) can be a girl," the parents claim in court. After excessive [[bleeding]], [[Jennifer_Garza|the doctor]] overcauterized the child's penis, causing fistulas (additional openings) that oozed blood and hurt every time that the child urinated.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/11/09/52144.htm

  |title=Circumcision Goes Horribly Wrong

A 21-year-old man in Tianjin has had his penis cut off after what appears to be a botched circumcision procedure just two weeks before his wedding ceremony - November 11, 2011.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://shanghaiist.com/2012/05/10/penis-amputated-circumcision.php

  |title=Man's penis amputated after botched circumcision

  |publisher=Shangai ist

  |date=2012-05-10

  |url=http://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/penis-war-uneben-und-zerfressen-vierjaehriges-kind-musste-nach-beschneidung-in-die-notaufnahme_aid_782118.html

  |title=Vierjähriges Kind musste nach Beschneidung in die Notaufnahme...

  |publisher=Focus

  |date=2012-07-14

In 2012 this case lead to a court in Cologne calling to ban non-therapeutic circumcision of minors, which was met with outrage by Jewish and Muslim leaders and some American Christian conservatives. The German government promised to present a new law in autumn to normalize the practice of circumcision<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/circumcision-debate-has-german-government-scrambling-for-a-law-a-846144.html

  |title=Where Human Rights Collide - Circumcision Debate Has Berlin Searching for Answers

  |publisher=Spiegel Online

  |date=2012-07-25

A BOTCHED circumcision of a four-year-old boy that resulted in the severing of a penis artery has landed a doctor in trouble. The boy was sent to hospital to stem the "uncontrollable [[bleeding]]" after the procedure by a GP, who was assisted by an unqualified doctor and his wife.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/botched-circumcision-put-boy-in-hospital/story-e6frfkp9-1225808279086#ixzz2D7qkRXNu

  |title=Botched circumcision puts boy in hospital

  |date=2009-12-08

  |accessdate=2012-11-23

The boys were under the age of 16. There are concerns as well that young men are being snatched by elders and forced to go through the procedure against their will.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/01/11/114641_ntnews.html

  |title=Circumcision ceremony goes horribly wrong

A husband and wife are suing their Miami doctor over a botched circumcision that left their infant son with a "unsightly... and permanently scarred" penis. The doctor "failed to align the foreskin on the bell of the GOMCO clamp before engaging the nut on the base plate, closing the clamp, and excising the foreskin, resulting in leaving too much [[foreskin]] on the ventral side of the penis." C.L.'s lawyers say that the boy, now three and a half years old, will likely need counseling to overcome the lasting trauma from the operation gone wrong.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/05/couple_sues_miami_doctor_over.php

  |title=Couple sues Miami doctor over botched circumcision

A baby was [[circumcised]] in Illinois in February 15, 2007 using a [[Mogen]] clamp. At the completion of the circumcision, hospital records indicated there was significant [[bleeding]]. Inspection of the penis revealed nearly all of the [[glans]] had been amputated at the time of the circumcision. Three months later, the infant required [[penile skin]] transfer surgery at the {{UNI|University of Illinois|UIC}}, with need for future procedures, some of which are only appropriate at the age of puberty.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://medgadget.com/2007/07/ouch_botched_circumcision.html

  |title=Ouch! Botched Circumcision

[[Daniel_J._Krimsky|Daniel J. Krimsky]] performed a bris with a [[Mogen]] clamp in which he amputated part of the glans of the baby and tried to hide his error, which was uncovered by a physician present in the event. The baby was rushed to the ER but an attempt to reattach the tissue was not successful.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2006/11/dont_let_your_mohel_use_a_moge_1.html

  |title=Oy! Did You Hear the One About the Overzealous Mohel?

  |publisher=New York News and Features

  |date=2006-11-13

[[Haiba_Sonyika|Haiba Sonyika]] performed a circumcision with a [[Mogen]] clamp in which she amputated part of the glans of the baby. The tissue was not properly handled and priority was not given, so reattachment was not possible. The baby was diagnosed with significant circumcision injury resulting in an [[iatrogenic]] [[hypospadias]], a physician-caused condition where the urinary opening is on the underside of the penis. The boy and his family would need significant psychiatric counseling at various stages of his life in order to avoid a bad psychological outcome.<ref name="Bollinger 2009">{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.icgi.org/2009/03/atlanta-attorneys-celebrate-botched-circumcision-verdict-for-mother-and-son/

  |title=Atlanta attorneys celebrate botched circumcision verdict for mother and son

A baby was taken for circumcision to a Los Angeles clinic in 2003. The doctor had no medical malpractice insurance.  The [[circumcision]] was performed with a Mogen clamp, resulting in the [[amputation]] of most of the  glans. By 2011 the boy has had two reconstructive surgeries, and doctors predict he will need at least two more while in his teens and 20s to repair the physical damage. Then will come plastic surgery.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/26/health/la-he-circumcision-20110926

  |title=Injuries linked to circumcision clamps

Dr. Tam, a pediatrician, amputated approximately 30% of the distal glans {*filter*} and transected the glandular [[urethra]]. A less than successful attempt was made to reattach that which had been excised. Subsequent plastic surgery has been attempted and there is resultant deformity at the tip of the {*filter*}. Function has not been impaired though a condition known as acquired "Hypospedias: has developed.  This is a defect where the [[urethra]], though extending through the {*filter*}, exists on the underside rather than at the tip. The Plaintiff has undergone 4 corrective surgeries and requires at least one further surgery at this time.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.science-bbs.com/126-med/27d8df3676dc3825.htm

  |title=Medical Malpractice: Circumcision, 3 Dec. 1994  

  |publisher=CIN Circumcision Information Network

  |date=1995-01

A 3 year old son of Russian immigrants was circumcised in Brooklyn in 1990. The clinic, a doctor and the rabbi who performed the operation were being sued for causing "permanent shortening and disfigurement of the penis." During the trial, experts testified that the mutilation would make sexual intercourse difficult when the boy reaches maturity.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.fathermag.com/health/circ/cin51202/

  |title=$1.2 Million: Another Botched Circumcision

  |publisher=CIN Circumcision Information Network

  |date=1995

Jacob suffered severe brain damage. He cannot walk, talk or care for himself in any respect. Significant and important portions of Jacob's Providence Hospital medical records for the 26-hour period from the time he was admitted until the "crash" are missing.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://noharmm.org/sweet.htm

  |title=Jacob Sweet Story

  |publisher=Anchorage Daily News

  |website=Archived at NoHarmm.org

A lawsuit was finally settled in 2000.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=https://www.cirp.org/news/2000/2000-03-08_Sweet.php

  |title=Betrayed by Doctors and Lawyers in Alaska, Sweets Find Justice Through Seattle Malpractice Attorney

  |publisher=PRNewswire

  |date=2000-03-08

According to lawsuits filed in behalf of the two children, the infants suffered severe electrical burns to the penis and adjacent areas when physicians, in separate incidents on the same day, used an electric cauterizing needle as part of the circumcision procedure. The burns to one of the infants were so severe that his penis was destroyed. A sex change operation has been performed so that the child will be raised as a female...<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/08/science/a-circumcision-method-draws-new-concern.html

  |title=A circumcision method draws new concern

  |publisher=NYTimes

  |date=1985

On November 2, 2011, Brian passed away in his home.  He [[Suicide|took his own life]] at 28 years.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://www.nocirc.org/publish/NOCIRC_2012_nwsltr.pdf

  |title=Letters to Editor

  |publisher=NOCIRC

  |date=2012

[[Image:David_reimer2.jpg|175px|right]] [[David Reimer]], lost his penis during circumcision at 4 months. Raised as a girl. His testicles were removed and he was put in hormones. Renamed and taught to be a girl but he never adjusted. In puberty he was told the truth, underwent breast reduction, reconstruction of the penis. Got married. Never felt complete. Committed [[suicide]] in 2004 at {{Age|1965|08|22|2004|05|04}} years.<ref>{{REFweb

  |url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer

  |title=David Reimer

  |publisher=Wikipedia

  |date=

[[Image:David_reimer1.jpg|175px|right]]  

==Video==

===Circumcision destroyed his penis===

<youtube>v=c0gGryaJWpc</youtube>

{{SEEALSO}}

* [[Complication]]

* [[Trauma]]

{{LINKS}}

* [http://www.circumstitions.com/Botched1.html Gallery of Botched Circumcisions at Intactipedia]

* [http://www.circumcisionharm.org/gallery1.htm Gallery of Botched Circumcisions at CircumcisionHarm.org]

* [http://www.circumcisionharm.org/ Global Survey of Circumcision Harm]

* [http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/DOC/statement05.html Post-operative Complications of Circumcision at DoctorsOpposingCircumcision.org]

* [http://www.circumstitions.com/Complic.html Complications of circumcision at circumstitions.com]