Doctors' Mistakes Causing Penile Damage

Complications from circumcision are much higher than previously thought; over two-thirds of penile trauma cases seen in hospitals are due to doctors' mistakes during circumcisions a new study says.

(PRWEB) July 15, 2002

"Fear, pain, crippling, disfigurement and humiliation are the classic ways

to break the human spirit. Circumcision includes them all."

Attn: Health Editor - For Immediate Release - July 12, 2002

Doctor's Mistakes Causing Penis Problems

Complications from circumcision are much higher than previously thought;

over two-thirds of penile trauma cases seen in hospitals are due to doctors'

mistakes during circumcisions a new study says. Not only is the patient's

health in jeopardy, doctors are liable for these mistakes. The most common

doctor's mistakes are damaging the urethra, removing too much tissue, and

glans amputation.

Dr. George Denniston, director of Doctors Opposing Circumcision said,

"Circumcision is not risk free. It is too risky for elective surgery. If

parents knew how many times surgeons botched this operation, they would keep

their baby boys far, far away from the circumciser's knives. Medical

students often perform circumcision unsupervised. Sometimes a circumcised

boy is sent home without the parents ever being informed of problems that

occurred during or as a result of the circumcision until penile dysfunction

becomes obvious years later. At other times, additional surgery is

immediately required and, in some cases, the boy is sexually re-assigned as

a girl."

"I will go to my grave hearing the screams of a tormented baby in my ears,"

says Marilyn Milos, Director of the National Organizations of Circumcision

Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC) about the first circumcision she

witnessed in nursing school. "As I watched in disbelief, I began to cry. The

doctor looked up at me and said, 'There is no medical reason for doing this.

' Surely, this pain and suffering is an unacknowledged complication, too.

More and more studies are showing that a host of complications arise from

circumcision-not only physical trauma as illustrated in this study, but

emotional trauma and sexual dysfunction, too. All circumcised men exhibit

one or more complications. Many of these men are suffering from

post-traumatic stress disorder because of circumcision, while we wonder why

they aren't emotionally available to loved ones."

Liability for this surgery is increasing as more malpractice lawsuits are

being filed to compensate for complications.

William Stowell, 20, is in the midst of the lawsuit he filed against his

cirumciser, who allegedly failed to inform his mother of the complications

prior to signing the consent form. "I was deprived of my birthright, the

pleasure of natural, normal sexual intercourse, because of an excruciating

10-minute procedure conducted moments after my birth."

David Llewellyn, Stowell's attorney, adds, "We know the physical damage

being done by circumcision, and that it is not medically recommended.

Doctors who still circumcise are already investing in a lot of trouble, and

this study makes their trouble worse. I believe we will see the number of

circumcision-related malpractice lawsuits skyrocket in the near future."

J. Steven Svoboda, Executive Director of Attorneys for the Rights of the

Child, an organization that has brought lawsuits against doctors who have

circumcised babies, has a warning for doctors who continue to circumcise

babies against the recommendations of medical bodies, "Doctors ignore a lot

of medical literature and they ignore the screams of the babies, but they

listen when they hear the word 'malpractice.' As a lawyer willing to sue, I'

ve never had a doctor not listen to me."

More than 1.2 million male infants per year are circumcised in the U.S., the

only country in the developed world that circumcises the majority of its

male infants for non-religious reasons. The rate has remained around 60% in

recent years. Circumcision is generally considered an American cultural

practice, but the pertinent legal questions have not been decided and are

only recently being asked. The debate about circumcision has been more vocal

lately due to increased awareness and questions about harm and lack of

proven benefits. Proponents continue to claim potential decreased risk of

certain diseases and that the surgery is painless, safe and has few

complications. Research shows otherwise, and no national medical association

in the world recommends circumcision. Opponents say that every circumcision

has complications; including the loss of the protective foreskin, increased

infection rates, and less sexual enjoyment for the man and his partner.

-xxx-

For More Information Contact:

Dr. George Denniston Executive Director, Doctors Opposing Circumcision, see

address above, http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org

Marilyn Milos, RN Director, NOCIRC, San Anselmo, CA. 415-488-9883

Fax: 415-488-9660 nocirc@cris.com http://www.nocirc.org/

William Stowell Plaintiff, BagelPimp@aol.com

David Lewellyn Attorney for William Stowell, ARC board member, 770-918-1911

llew.law@mindspring.com

J. Steven Svoboda, J.D. Executive Director, Attorneys for the Rights of the

Child

(510) 595-5550 arc@post.harvard.edu http://www.arclaw.org

The article: Paediatric penile trauma, M.S. El-Bahnasawy and M.T.

El-Sherbiny, BJU International, Volume 90 Issue 1 Page 92 - July 2002