There are many mothers of boys worried about the possibility of their baby having genital problems. Most of the times, it’s phimosis. What is phimosis?
What is phimosis?
The cutaneous portion covering the head of the penis (the glans) is called a prepuce. Phimosis consists of its narrowing and the impossibility of pulling back the skin (retraction). It is good to know that a large number of newborns have physiological, temporal phimosis. As the baby grows, the situation returns to normal without treatment most of the time.Some of the cases of phimosis in children occur by forcing this retraction before the body is ready for it. As a result, scars will form and will cause fibrosis. Depending on the degree of constriction of the foreskin, there is partial or total phimosis. That’s why it’s important to have these maneuvers done constantly by the mother, but gentle, without force, during the child’s daily bath. Later, as the baby grows, he will be taught to make together with the hygienic process, also the retraction maneuvers, so as to become part of the daily routine.
Why does phimosis appear?
– the most common cause in very small boys is the disproportion between the growth rate of the foreskin and that of the glans penis
– glans penis inflammation caused by microbes, trauma
– a long reason invoked by the followers of circumcision is a poor penis hygiene that favors the development of an environment conducive to local infections
– Penile malformations or other genital diseases
What signs and symptoms are there?
– the impossibility of retraction of the foreskin over the head of the penis
– difficult urination, sometimes accompanied by pain
– the urine jet is scattered
How does it evolve?
Phimosis narrows the space of the glans leaving only a small hole for urination. Being a closed environment, substance secreted at the level of the prepuce accumulates and can cause infections. If there are reddish areas, swellings, purulent collections, very high pain, and your boy has a fever, take him to your doctor.
How can you treat it?
If there are no complications, and everyday gentle retraction is done during the child’s daily bath, phimosis disappears until the age of 5. Any attempt to force the foreskin is not only a traumatization of the baby, but also a risk of paraphimosis (after the forced retraction, the foreskin has stuck and does not return over the head of the penis).
Paraphimosis requires emergency surgery because it can even lead to necrosis of the penis.
The treatment of phimosis and paraphimosis is surgical and is called circumcision.
This surgery is done under general anesthesia, the child being asleep, in order not to traumatize him. The surgery lasts between 30-45 minutes and consists in the removal of a certain portion of the foreskin, the retraction and release of the glans from the scarring adhesions. In some cases, depending on the anatomical conformation of the penis (short, fibrous, cicatricial frenulum), it is indicated once with circumcision the frenuloplasty intervention. This consists in the section of the frenulum, allowing the foreskin to completely retract.
CIRCUMCISION is the most common method associated with the diagnosis of phimosis. The medical reason (objective) for choosing this surgery is the risk of complications.
After surgery, healing will be completed in 7-14 days, through the fall of resorbable threads.
Traditions, personal wishes and the influence of others are part of the subjective motives category.
When you think of your child with phimosis, it is advisable to consult a plastic surgeon who will assess whether or not to intervene surgically so that phimosis does not disturb the physical and mental development of your child.
KLARA IULIA BANCILA
Plastic surgery and reconstructive microsurgery specialist
THE AESTHETIC SURGICAL CLINIC “DR. KLARA BANCILA”
51 Dacia Boulevard, sector 1 Bucharest
