Near death incident from neonatal circumcision using plastibell

Very interesting how this adverse circumcision event in America is buried in a Korean Journal, tells you a lot about American Medicine and its attitude toward circumcision

Korean J Pediatr. 2015 Apr;58(4):154-7. doi: 10.3345/kjp.2015.58.4.154. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

Urosepsis and postrenal acute renal failure in a neonate following circumcision with Plastibell device.

Kalyanaraman M¹, McQueen D¹, Sykes J¹, Phatak T¹, Malik F¹, Raghava PS¹.

Author information

• ¹Department of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ, USA.

Abstract

Plastibell is one of the three most common devices used for neonatal circumcision in the United States, with a complication rate as low as 1.8%. The Plastibell circumcision device is commonly used under local anesthesia for religious circumcision in male neonates, because of cosmetic reasons and ease of use. Occasionally, instead of falling off, the device may get buried under the skin along the shaft of the penis, thereby obstructing the normal flow of urine. Furthermore, the foreskin of neonates is highly vascularized, and hence, hemorrhage and infection are possible when the skin is cut. Necrosis of penile skin, followed by urethral obstruction and renal failure, is a serious surgical mishap requiring immediate corrective surgery and medical attention. We report a case of fulminant urosepsis, acute renal failure, and pyelonephritis in a 4-day-old male neonate secondary to impaction of a Plastibell circumcision device. Immediate medical management was initiated with fluid resuscitation and mechanical ventilation; thereby correcting life threatening complications. Pediatricians and Emergency Department physicians should be cognizant of the complications from Plastibell circumcision device in order to institute appropriate and timely management in neonates.