Circumcision errors?

Question

I was reading about reverse circumcision (and considering it) and I found these statements. They kind of shocked me and made me doubt a little. I was just wondering if anyone could tell if these are real, verifiable facts or just rash conclusions:


"Every year some boys lose their entire penises from circumcision accidents and infections. They are then "sexually reassigned" by castration and transgender surgery, and are expected to live their lives as females."


"Every year many boys in the United States and elsewhere lose their lives as a result of circumcision - a fact that is routinely ignored or obscured."

from http://www.norm.org/lost.html

What I really wanted to know was, if in the slight possibility that such a thing happens, do they really label the child gender reassigned??? I'd hate my parents for giving me a circumcision then (not that I don't resent them for it now), especially seeing its unnecessary.

Answer 1

Yes, that does happen. I don't know how common it is (I suspect rare) but the fact it happens at all is disgusting. There was one very famous case about it, with identical twins, where one boy's penis burnt off and he was raised as a girl. He was a rebellious tomboy and ended up asking to become male again as an adult, and when he found out. I don't know their names but I think he might have been called Brenda/Brendan, and they were turned into the "Law and Order: SVU" episode "Identity". So accidents where the whole penis goes does happen, although I think it is very rare, and I don't know if they are all turned into girls now.

Edit: I found the case, there's some info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer

Regarding deaths, yes I think that does happen as well, like any surgery it can have complications and people especially infants can die from infections or other complications. Again this is rare if the surgery is done properly but it is still a risk. And remember a risk of one in a million sounds low, but it can still mean up to 150 males in the US. All surgeries have risks, the difference being that most surgeries are being done for medical reasons and it's a smaller risk than not having it done (like removing a tumour) whereas the same cannot be said for circumcision. And this is just in "civilised" countries....when done in "primitive" countries, circumcision can cause very big problems regarding infection and all.

Some babies in NY were also infected with herpes (and some died from that) after having their penis sucked as part of the traditional Jewish circumcision ceremony. Luckily most people don't do that any more.

Answer 2

Botched circumcisions do happen and if you research it a little bit, you can see that it isn't that uncommon. But even if the above statements are true, that could be only 2 out of every million babies born. The fact that they don't give you exact numbers suggest that it is extremely low and highly unlikely to happen. Like I said, things like that have happened before, but any surgical procedure carries risks. Just because we don't hear about a particular thing like this happening doesn't mean that there is a massive conspiracy to cover it up. There are lots of surgical mishaps that we don't hear about but doctor/patient privacy probably has something to do with that. Think about it, this is really not the type of thing that you would want to tell everyone if it happened to you.

Personally, I disagree with routine neonatal circumcision, but since the parents legally have the right to make that choice and the risks are very small, there is no reason that a stat like this would deter someone who has decided that they want their boy circumcised. Most people who get their children circumcised were probably circumcised themselves, so they tend not to see anything wrong with it since to them they have never missed anything by not having the foreskin. If they have never had a problem or mishap with their circumcised penis then neither should should their sons as far as they are concearned.

Answer 3

CIrcumcision errors do happen as errors in all surgeries happen. CIrcumcision is an elective procedure, but the again so is 80% of plastic surgery and a large percentage of eye surgery. Parents are advised of the risks before making that choice and are making an informed choice. In the US the most common reason parents circumcise their sons is the psychological issue related to the possibility of the child being picked on in the locker room or possible adverse reaction by a young lady at sometime in their life. CLeanliness is the only true reason for a circumcision and if the foreskin can be fully retracted then there is no problem. However, as a healthcare provider, I have seen a significant number of circumcised and uncircumcised patients over the years. There is a percentage of the uncircumcised patients who obviously did not want to take care of their cleanliness issue. Some studies indicate this lack of cleanliness associated with poor cleaning of the tissue under the foreskin can result in an increased risk of STDs due to the organisms being retained for longer periods of time under the foreskin. (If they don't clean it normally, why would they take time after intercourse) Also the long term issue retention of smegma under the foreskin has been linked to an increased risk of penile cancer and the possibility of the requirement for a penile amputation as an adult.

Please also note that the risks assiciated with circumcision are actually higher in adults, and these risk are the same with a reverse circumcision. Why would any sane person want to risk infection scarring delayed healing and possible death to reverse something that is not a problem??? If a circumcision is elective, a reverse circumcision borders on insanity.

Answer 4

The gender reassignment thing is extremely rare, but it does happen. There is one case (David Reimer) that got quite a lot of publicity because the person later committed suicide because of the operation. And a few baby boys (estimated as high as 229 per year) die from the procedure each year, right here in the good old USA. Many more get painful infections. Circumcision of infants is barbaric and should be outlawed.

Answer 5

It's real. Just go to Google News or just regular Google, and search for 'botched circumcision' and do another search for 'circumcision death'. You'll find more than enough articles. I do think that circumcision is a surgery that is not necessary. It should be the man's choice. Luckily, it's becoming a lot less popular.

Circumcision risks:

Circumcision = loss of sensitivity according to new study
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,285532,00.html
http://www.circumstitions.com/Sexuality.html#sorrells

Higher erectile dysfunction rates after circumcision:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14979200&dopt=Abstract%7C

When women didn't know what penis they were dealing with (circumcised or uncircumcised) 9 out of 10 preferred uncircumcised (study).
http://www.healthcentral.com/drdean/408/60750.html

Foreskin anatomy and function (keeps the glans soft and protects it, etc).
http://www.cirp.org/pages/anat/

Circumcision is extremely painful.
http://www.cirp.org/library/procedure/plastibell/

The USA is the last advanced nation doing it, but rates have fallen down from over 90% in the 1960s to as low as 21% here in California currently. From CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/06/18/circumcision.decline.ap/index.html
http://www.cirp.org/library/statistics/USA/staterates2004/

Circumcision was actually promoted in the USA at first to stop masturbation (in hopes of it being tight enough to require lubes and not have skin to slide since the foreskin is already moist)
http://english.pravda.ru/science/health/27-03-2006/77873-circumcision-0

USA = highest HIV rates in advanced nations (and highest circumcision rates). CIA statistics:
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2155rank.html

And one study already trashed the claims of the study that said that circumcision reduces HIV.
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0000543

Worldwide circumcision rates:
http://www.circumstitions.com/Maps.html

And discussion of common circumcision benefit myths and discussion of all the risks that can develop over time and negative side effects (buried penis, meatal stenosis, etc):
http://forums.govteen.com/showpost.php?p=3069995&postcount=2

Answer 6

The risk is very small. Most deaths from circumcision happen from tribal circumcisions in africa.


the risk of death is smaller than the risk of death from having your tonsils removed.

independent studies have shown that circumcised men have a lower risk of transmiting or aquiring HIV, and Lower risk of infections

Im not for or against the whole thing. I dont believe the hype or understand why their is hype on this subject. Im not a "crazy" on either side of this debate saying its mutilation or saying that everyone should have it. Yet ive not seen one shred of medical evidence that states that there are medical benifits to keeping ones foreskin..all reputable sources state that the benifits are on the pro circumcision side

Answer 7

I've heard about that a couple of times, i think Dateline NBC had something about that? not sure it wasn't due to someone born with both sexes?? Hopefully Very RARE ------- foreskin should be saved @ all costs Circumcision = Mutilation!!!

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

Being a doctor i think i should know this, the trans gender part is utter crap, people dying of circumsition, even though its a very low percentage, does happen. In south africa, at least 6 teenagers died because of infections and wrongfull circumsitions.

Answer 10

Shocked to read ur question. It is however to be seen as to what is the number of cases in which such extreme condition has been caused.