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Pain Management
Performing a circumcision produces significant discomfort if done without the use of an anesthetic. Anesthetic medications taken by mouth, injected or inhaled will alleviate pain.
Infants
Infants under 1 year of age should receive an injectable anesthetic to numb the small nerves that control pain to the foreskin of the penis. The injection is much like the vaccines your child receives during routine office visits. Common pharmaceutical names include Lidocaine® and Marcan®. Some practitioners may use EMLA cream®, a numbing agent that can be applied to the foreskin before performing the procedure. Oral medications such as Tylenol® infant drops or Tylenol with Codeine® elixir for older infants may be prescribed. Sucrose (sugar) water has been shown to lessen discomfort especially in combination with injectable lidocaine.
Medication Risks
Tylenol® (acetametaphen) side effects are rare but notify your doctor if your infant develops drowsiness, swelling and/or shortness of breath.
Common minor risks of injectable anesthetics (Lidocaine) include skin bruising which disappears within 1-2 days, and bleeding under the skin (hematoma). Rare complications (1 in 250,000 circumcisions) can result in severe allergic reactions that can lead to breathing difficulty and rarely, death. Our hospital-based facility provides 24-hour emergency anesthesia physician coverage providing a safe medical environment for you or your child.
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