How reliable is the local anesthia that's used before doing a circumcision???

Answer 1

It is very reliable. Also you want boys circumsized because then they cant ever get penis cancer (really called that). Plus most men/boys dont wash well so it is best to have it done. Noone ever remembers the pain from when it was done and for years local anesthesia was never used.

Answer 2

The person who posted above me is so funny!
I'm not sure where she works, but stay away from her "hospital".
I am an OB RN. I've been a nurse for over 10 years and I have my bachelor's degree and am working on my Master's degree.
ANY reputable hospital WILL strap a newborn down. No, not because they can "run" but in case the infant moves his hands or legs and hits or kicks the doctor performing the surgery, leading to an accident (and then a law suit).
And btw, the penis is not still developing nerves. You are born with all the nervous system in place. Just like you are born with all the nerves in your feet, even though your feet continue growing you don't make "new nerves". Just because one takes A&P or Biology doesn't mean one learns much while enrolled in class...

To answer your question, the local anesthesia isn't totally reliable, but it's better than nothing if your going to but your child through that unnecessary surgery. An injection like Lidocaine is more effective than the topicals like EMLA. I've seen circumcisions with all topicals available and with nothing at all. Babies cry with all methods but cry less it seems with the Lidocaine. The Lidocaine will sting when it's injected though. The only time I've ever seen a child not cry at all is under general anesthesia. Those who say their child "slept through" the circ are misinformed - their child was in shock, not sleeping, unless he was under general anesthesia.
Please know that whatever method you use, nothing will protect the little raw penis after the surgery when the baby urinates or deficates and the waste burns his open wound.

I'm not trying to hide the fact that I'm anti-circumcision for infants and children. I don't think it's a good idea. I didn't circumcise my own son. I think you should read up on all the facts and watch a video before you decide. But if you still decide to have it done, insist that Lidocaine be used and Tylenol given after and keep in mind that your son will still be in pain after. And know there is always a risk of a botched job and bleeding complications. Why take that risk???
Good luck to you and your child in your decison.

Answer 3

It is not reliable at all. Many times the Dr. won’t even use it because they don't think that babies feel pain. This is a VERY poor reality with newborn circ. The strap them down to a board so they can't move and then they will either put on a topical cream (which will take up to an half hour to actually work) or they will give them a shot that usually takes 10 to 15 minutes for it to have full strength for pain control. Many Dr. don't want to leave the baby on the board that long so they don't use any pain meds.

As far as a baby falling asleep during the operation, that is blatantly false. They zone out because they are in so much pain. Don't believe me, ask them to do heart monitoring and B/P pressure while they are doing the operation and you will see a dramatic difference. Would YOU expect to fall asleep while someone was pulling one of your nails out? That is what newborn circ. is comparable to because the foreskin is fused to the head, and after time it loosens and separates...but that takes YEARS to do, and I haven't even started about what happens when they cut the foreskin off.

And a person who has been circ. can also have penile cancer. The study that the earlier responder that said it isn't so is based 1932 study by a Mohel who wanted to perpetuate the practice, not protect children. This study has been proved false time and time again too.

Newborn circ. is a multi-million dollar industry where corp. make BIG money off of newborns foreskins. Not lying either...I will add a site which backs this up...""The May 1998 issue of Business Week provided a glimpse into this sadistic industry. "One piece of foreskin can produce four acres of engineered skin". Skin that sells for more than $3,000.00 a square foot! The February 1998 issue of Wired magazine quotes one of these companies, "The cells from a single foreskin can produce 200,000 units of manufactured skin". "That's enough skin to cover about 250 people."

Other companies also know the value of infant foreskin. Cosmetics companies, such as Estee Lauder, Helene Curtis, and Mary Kay Cosmetics, use babies' foreskins in their test laboratories."

This amounts to nothing more than a cosmetic surgery for newborns.

If you believe that Circ. is necessary, why is it that no medical institution recommends routine infant circ? And Shannon, riddle me this. What perpetuated the routine circ. in the early 1900's? Because, people blamed everything from being lame, epilepsy, blindness, and psychotics on masturbation, and to try to curb masturbation they circ. people because it decreases sensitivity to the sex organ...read up on Kellogg the very person who created Corn Flakes if you don't believe me.... Up until 1970 they actually tried circ. little girls and had this in the medical books and taught it, but it didn't catch on nearly as well. Also 80% of men in the world are intact. So, Shannon, dear, I have facts that I can back up...and ......

Answer 4

To your question yes it's reliable. My son was given a local and had no problems whatsoever. Never even cried.... And he did great through the healing process, no problems at all!

And if your deciding whether or not to circumcise please talk to your pediatrician or doctor and get the information from them. You will hear a lot of conflicting stories/opinions on here. Plus they will give you links on what circumcision is like and so forth and it's not the real deal or reliable info. Don't let people on here fill your head with garbage. Talk to a professional! For all the people that think it's babaric or multilation I just shrug it of my shoulder because they weren't in the room for my son's procedure my husband and I were I garantee you he wasn't "put through anything traumatic" If it was as bad as people say it is we wouldn't have done it. I really just think people make this a bigger issue then it needs to be!!

Answer 5

Babies systems are so fragile that even when anesthesia is used(most docs still don't use it), they still cannot be given as much as they are able to give to an adult. In most cases, anesthesia only reduces circumcision pain, it does not eliminate it.

All medical organizations in the world recomend against the circumcision of infants now, so really if there is no need for it, why put a innocent babe through all of that pain and trauma?

Here is a great article that touches on a lot of issues surrounding the circumcision of infants:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/circumcision/against-circumcision.html

Oh and for those who claim that babies don't feel it or don't have nerve endings there....what a load! This is a video of an actual circumcision, filmed just a few years ago just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6584757516627632617&q=circumcision&hl=en

Sorry, that little dude is in PAIN! And that doc claimed to use anesthetic.

Good luck!

Answer 6

It isn't. No matter what anaethesia the doctor uses the baby is in pain for the procedure and for about two weeks afterwards when his wound is sitting in a urine and faeces soaked diaper.

Most physicians do not use anything, no matter what they tell the parents. If you insist on it make sure that not only is the best used, but also that it's given enough time to work. Any baby that is taken away and brought back within anything less than about 40 mins has NOT had anything to dull the pain.

Cutting of part of a baby's penis isn't necessary, why do it?

Answer 7

With proper pain medication, the boy will not feel a thing.

Here is a good link of a circumcision being done:

www.circumcisionvancouver.com

Sara

Answer 8

hera -- you are one of the many people that like to fill people's heads with crap. I am a surgical tech in the OR and do anywhere from 3 to 5 of these per day. When I assist I am standing right over the baby so I see everything and as a surgical tech I know how it is done. They are not put on a board. They are placed on a circ table, just like what they are placed in after they are born but a little bit smaller and closer to the ground. They are not strapped down either, unless they are so out of control they are going to get up and run out...don't think a newborn is capable of that. The analgesics they usually give them are topical and they work instantly honey. And no alot of doctors do not give anything it usually only at the mother's disgression because if you knew anything about the penis of an infant (I do since I took A&P 1,2, and 3) but if you knew anything about it you would know that an infants penis does not have any nerve endings in it since it is not fully formed yet, therefore they cannot feel it. I hardly ever see a baby cry and most of them that are usually start crying when they are taken out of their nice warm blanket and sprawled out on the circ table. They usually stop as soon as the light is turned on and they warm up a little. Some of them cry just for the simple fact that they didn't like being put down. Sorry but from someone that has been there and seen many, many, many, many of these done I can tell you that most people have no clue what they are talking about. They just like to scare other people into thinking it is torture when it is not.

Don't know where the poster below me went to school but I took A&P and did learn, as I graduated with two degrees with a 4.0 GPA. There are no nerve endings in the tip of penis of a newborn yet ask any doctor. I've been doing this for 17 years and have worked at many hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, etc. and they all do it the same. No they WILL NOT strap down an infant, that is why they have assistants in there genius, that is what I do in there. I don't know how you think the procedure is done but I am trained as a surg tech in the OR and know the procedure, it's part of the training duh!!!!!!! Obviously you are anti circ to set there and try to discredit me when I know exactly what I'm talking about. As far as where I've worked honey I've worked at Riley's Children's Hospital in Indianapolis and that's they way they do it so don't tell me I don't know what I'm doing. People that are anit circ will say anything to get their point across.

Answer 9

is the circumcision for a newborn? if so.... I'm not too sure how reliable it is, but just remember... that the procedure does not take long at all & the newborn will be fine right after and he/she will not remember a thing.

Answer 10

It's pretty good. Babies are more upset at either being naked or feeling a little cold than the pain - it's over relatively quickly and they have fairly short-term memories.