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.

"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, www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org

Marilyn Milos, RN Director, NOCIRC, San Anselmo, CA. 415-488-9883
Fax: 415-488-9660 nocirc@cris.com 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 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