Anaesthesia and surgery duration | Phimosis surgery

Anaesthesia and surgery duration

The procedure usually takes only about 15-20 minutes and is usually performed under a short general anesthesia. This is especially important for children, so that they do not notice as much of the operation as possible. For adults, instead of general anesthesia, a procedure under spinal anesthesia or with the help of the so-called penis block is also possible. In this procedure, only the nerve fibers directly supplying the penis are anesthetized with a local anesthetic.

Possible complications

In general, phimosis surgery is a very low-risk procedure. Also the risk of anaesthesia is very low due to the short duration of the operation. Of course, as with all operations, complications can occur.

These are mostly post-operative bleeding, wound infections or excessive scarring. If too small a part of the foreskin was removed, it is possible that a phimosis will develop again after the operation. In total, a post-operation is necessary in about 6% of cases.

After the surgery

After the operation, patients should be under observation at home for at least 24 hours in order to detect any bleeding or other problems early on. In the period immediately after surgery, slight swelling and discoloration of the penis may occur. Pain when urinating is also quite normal.

The pain after the operation can usually be controlled with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Light cooling can help to prevent further swelling and also relieve the pain. Sitting baths with chamomile are sometimes recommended to support wound healing.

To prevent the fresh wound from sticking to diapers or underwear, the wound can be treated with a panthenol cream. Sports activities, especially those involving heavy impact stress, should be avoided for about 6 weeks. In any case, the further healing process must be checked by a physician.

If pain, redness in the area of the wound or fever and a feeling of illness occur, the treating physician should be consulted in any case. Due to the thin skin of the glans, which is additionally irritated after the operation, an inflammation of the glans can occur. The above-mentioned sitz baths and the wearing of additional underwear are preventive measures to reduce the mechanical stress on the glans.