AAP News Vol. 13 No. 7 July 1997, p. 3
© 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
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Swaddling eases circumcision

Grace Heitsch M.D., FAAP

As a resident, the worst part of circumcision training was the infant's screaming.

When I entered practice in a small rural town, I spent a lot of time trying to help parents see the needlessness of infant circumcision, to no avail. I then turned to making the procedure as pleasant as possible for my own ears and for the poor tortured infants.

Though there are proponents of local anesthesia, dorsal penile blocks (DPB), etc., others complain that anesthesia takes too long and makes little difference — the kid cries anyway. Simple observation shows why. The infant starts screaming when he is strapped down in extensor posture, and doesn't settle till he is off the board and returned to the natural flexor state.