FAQ

Male Circumcision is a surgical procedure, which consists of removing the foreskin, the skin that naturally covers the glans of the penis.

Circumcision is carried out for medical, cultural or religious reasons.

The religious motive is frequent among Jewish and Muslim communities.

The cultural motive: sometimes parents choose circumcision for perceived hygienic reasons or to follow cultural and family-based traditions.

The medical motive: circumcision is often practiced in the case of phimosis. This operation remains visible, for there is always a scar ring at the end of the foreskin. One should not confuse this condition with normal foreskin adhesions or acute phimosis where the foreskin is initially intimately bonded to the glans. By removing it, we see yellow-whitish secretions. These secretions are washed away with water and soap.

We used the following methods in our circumcision clinics in Montreal, Chateauguay and Longueuil:

• Plastibell
• Freehand circumcision
• Mogen Clamp

Postoperative pain is variable in adults. All pain can be relieved by a prescription. The secret to battling pain is to take the medicine before the pain appears for the first two days.

Male circumcision can lead to complications including haemorrhage, infections and excessive scarring.

Sometimes scars can be left on the glans. In this case, we must either resume circumcision, or practice a small incision with some sutures.

Even if it is claimed that elective circumcision can prevent certain conditions (infection, cancer), there is no serious study justifying it.

A urologist is a physician trained in the surgical discipline of the genitourinary system for a period of five years after the end of the normal medical cycle. He is a specialist doctor. The urologist deals with the penis, prostate, bladder, kidney, urinary tract infections, kidney stones and urinary incontinence. His field of work is varied. Circumcision is an integral part of this field and training allows urologists to practice this surgery at any age with ease.
Clinics offer counselling services in all these genitourinary problems.

All male circumcisions done at our offices are not considered to be medically indicated. Therefore, these circumcisions are not covered by the Quebec health insurance plan. It is rare for private insurance companies to bear the costs, regardless of age.