Overview
What the Procedure Changes
At birth, the prepuce, or foreskin, normally adheres to the glans.
At birth, the prepuce, or foreskin, normally adheres to the glans. Circumcision surgically removes this tissue; it is not the separation of an already retractable foreskin. That distinction matters when teaching parents: an intact newborn foreskin should never be forcibly retracted, because tearing and bleeding can produce scarring and secondary phimosis. The three commonly used neonatal devices remove the foreskin differently: - Mogen clamp: The device compresses a flat line of foreskin, and the compressed tissue is excised immediately. The procedure is typically the shortest, often less than 5 minutes. - Gomco clamp: The foreskin is drawn over a metal bell, and the clamp crushes the tissue against the bell before excision. The bell helps shield the glans from the cutting surface. The procedure commonly takes about 10 minutes. - Plastibell: The foreskin is tied tightly over a plastic ring. The distal tissue becomes ischemic, necroses, and sloughs away over the following days with the ring. The ring remaining in place after the procedure is expected; it is not a retained foreign body. No device is risk-free, and comparative studies...
