Circumcision and phimosis surgery in Niš
Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin (prepuce), the skin that covers the head of the penis, and urologists most often recommend it as surgery for phimosis, when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis.
At a glance
- Length of the procedure
- usually 30 to 60 minutes
- Anaesthetic
- Local anaesthetic (in adults)
- Hospital stay
- usually No overnight stay
Note: These figures are general and approximate. The doctor decides for each patient, depending on the findings.
Facts and description
At Maja Hospital in Niš, at Vizantijski bulevar 39, adult circumcision is carried out as part of the urology service, under local anaesthetic: the patient is awake and the area being operated on is numbed. The procedure usually takes 30 to 60 minutes and does not normally require an overnight stay in hospital. Before the procedure you need a consultation with a urologist, at which the doctor assesses your condition and suggests a method.
All facts
- What the procedure is
- Surgical removal of the foreskin that covers the head of the penis
- Performed by
- A specialist urologist
- Anaesthetic
- Local anaesthetic (in adults); the type of anaesthetic is ultimately decided by the doctor
- Length of the procedure
- Usually 30 to 60 minutes
- Hospital stay
- Usually no overnight stay. The doctor decides how long you stay after the procedure.
- Return to normal activities
- Office work usually after a few days to a week; heavy physical work, sport, swimming and cycling usually after 2 to 4 weeks
- Sex
- Usually after 4 to 6 weeks, once the wound has fully healed
- Follow-up appointments
- Usually 1 to 2 follow-up appointments with the urologist in the first two weeks
- Before the procedure
- Consultation with a urologist
Circumcision: prices
Recovery
- In the first 2 to 3 days, swelling, tenderness and mild to moderate pain are common. Take painkillers as advised by the doctor.
- Swelling and bruising usually settle within 1 to 2 weeks. It can take 4 to 6 weeks for the swelling to go down completely.
- Showering is usually allowed after 24 to 48 hours. Avoid baths and swimming in pools or the sea until the skin has healed, as advised by the doctor.
- If dissolvable stitches were used, they usually fall out within 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes up to 6 weeks, and do not need to be removed.
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- Wear cotton underwear that holds the penis up against your abdomen, and loose, comfortable clothing. For the first few weeks, avoid cycling, running and heavy lifting.
- You can usually return to office work after a few days to a week, and to heavy physical work, sport, swimming and cycling after 2 to 4 weeks.
- Sex and masturbation are usually put off for 4 to 6 weeks, until the wound has fully healed.
- Attend follow-up appointments at the times set by the urologist, usually after a few days and again after 1 to 2 weeks.
- Contact a doctor without delay if you have bleeding that does not stop when you apply pressure, swelling or pain that is getting worse, redness and warmth around the wound, a high temperature, pus coming from the wound, blood in your urine or difficulty passing urine.
- All figures are approximate. Your exact recovery plan is set by the doctor.
How to prepare
- Tell the doctor about blood thinners and any pacemaker you have, and do not stop any treatment on your own.
- Mention any allergies, especially to local anaesthetics, and long-term conditions such as diabetes.
- Have blood tests if the doctor asks for them, usually a full blood count and blood clotting tests.
- Have a shower on the day of the procedure, and do not shave the area yourself.
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- For a local anaesthetic, fasting is usually not necessary, and you will be given instructions about food when you book.
- Do not drive yourself straight after the procedure.
When to contact a doctor right away
- If you cannot pass urine at all, or if any of these problems occur outside working hours, contact the emergency medical service or call 194.
In detail
What is circumcision?
Circumcision is a surgical procedure to remove the foreskin (prepuce), the skin that covers the head of the penis. After the procedure, the head of the penis is left uncovered. In adult men, the procedure is usually performed by a specialist urologist.
At Maja Hospital in Niš, circumcision is listed in the urology price list as a procedure under local anaesthetic. This means the patient is awake and the area being operated on is numbed. Before the procedure you need a consultation with a urologist. At the consultation, the doctor assesses the condition of the foreskin, explains what the procedure involves and answers your questions.
When is circumcision recommended?
A urologist most often recommends circumcision for phimosis, that is, when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis. Other reasons can include recurrent inflammation of the head of the penis and the foreskin, recurrent paraphimosis (the pulled-back foreskin cannot be returned to its normal position) or scarring of the foreskin, for example in lichen sclerosus (a long-term skin condition that can cause scarring).
For milder tightness, the doctor sometimes suggests other treatment first. The decision always depends on the findings and the doctor's assessment.
Some men also choose the procedure for religious, cultural or personal reasons. Please check when booking whether Maja Hospital performs circumcision for non-medical reasons.
If the pulled-back foreskin cannot be returned and the head of the penis is swelling, you need to see a doctor urgently.
What circumcision methods are there?
The most common method is conventional surgical circumcision. The foreskin is removed with a scalpel or an electrosurgical knife, and the edges of the wound are joined with fine stitches, usually ones that dissolve on their own (absorbable stitches).
For milder tightness, a smaller procedure that widens and preserves the foreskin (preputioplasty) is sometimes possible. When the only problem is a short frenulum, the fold of skin that connects the foreskin to the underside of the head of the penis, a smaller procedure on the frenulum (frenulectomy or frenuloplasty) is often enough.
The term ‘laser circumcision’ usually means that the tissue is cut with a laser instead of a scalpel, while the procedure itself and the recovery are similar. At the consultation, the urologist explains which method they recommend and why, depending on the findings.
What happens on the day of the procedure?
Arrive at the agreed time, bringing your medical reports and test results, as well as a list of the medicines you take regularly. After you are admitted, the urologist explains the procedure once more and you sign a consent form.
The area is cleaned with an antiseptic solution. The local anaesthetic is given by injection at the base of the penis. You will feel the needle, and after a few minutes the area is numb. During the procedure you may feel touch or pressure. The procedure usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, and a dressing is applied at the end.
After a short rest, you are given instructions on wound care, advice on painkillers and a follow-up appointment. After a procedure under local anaesthetic, an overnight stay is usually not needed. You go home accompanied by someone, once the doctor judges that it is safe to do so.
What are the possible complications of circumcision?
Circumcision is a common procedure, but like any operation it carries certain risks. Swelling and bruising occur in almost all patients and usually settle within 1 to 2 weeks. Less often, bleeding, wound infection or slower healing may occur. Sometimes a further procedure is needed because of bleeding or excess skin.
The head of the penis is more sensitive for the first few weeks, and after that most men find that the sensation in the head of the penis is permanently different, often somewhat reduced. The final appearance is usually visible after about 6 weeks and depends on the individual characteristics of your tissue and on how the wound heals. Rarely, the opening of the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) becomes narrowed. At the consultation, the urologist explains the risks in your case.
Penile frenulectomy
The frenulum is the fold of skin that joins the foreskin to the underside of the glans. When the only problem is a short frenulum, a smaller procedure on the frenulum (frenulectomy) is often enough. Penile frenulectomy is listed in the Maja Hospital urology price list as a procedure under local anaesthetic, and the price is in the urology price list. The urologist assesses at the consultation whether a procedure on the frenulum is enough or circumcision is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is phimosis in adults treated with surgery?
In adults phimosis is often treated with surgery, most commonly circumcision, and with milder tightness sometimes with a smaller procedure that widens the foreskin or with treatment without surgery. Whether surgery is needed, and which kind, is decided by the doctor after an examination, depending on how tight the foreskin is, repeated inflammation and any scarring of the foreskin.
Is circumcision painful?
In adults, the procedure is usually done under local anaesthetic. You feel a needle prick when the anaesthetic is given, and during the procedure usually only touch or pressure. Once the anaesthetic wears off, there is tenderness and mild to moderate pain for the first few days. The doctor recommends painkillers after the procedure.
How long does recovery take after adult circumcision?
Swelling and bruising usually settle within 1 to 2 weeks. The skin usually heals within 2 to 3 weeks, while complete healing and the final appearance can take 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes longer. You can usually return to office work after a few days to a week, while heavier physical work and sport usually require 2 to 4 weeks. Recovery depends on the method and on how the wound heals, so your recovery plan is set by the doctor.
How should I care for the wound, and do the stitches need to be removed after circumcision?
Showering is usually allowed after 24 to 48 hours, following the doctor's instructions on the dressing and wound care. Baths and swimming in pools or the sea should be put off until the skin has healed. Dissolvable stitches are most commonly used. They usually fall out within 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes up to 6 weeks, and do not need to be removed. If other stitches were used, the urologist removes them at a follow-up appointment.
When can I have sex after circumcision?
Sex and masturbation are usually put off for 4 to 6 weeks, until the wound has fully healed. Putting strain on the wound too early can reopen it or slow down healing. The urologist confirms at a follow-up appointment when it is safe.
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Does circumcision change sensitivity?
For the first 2 to 3 weeks, the head of the penis is more sensitive to touch and to rubbing from clothing. Once this settles, most men notice that the sensation in the head of the penis is different, often somewhat reduced compared with before the procedure, and this change is usually permanent. In the first few months, you may feel tightness around the scar during an erection. The procedure does not affect fertility. Discuss what to expect with the urologist before the procedure.
Is phimosis always treated with surgery?
Not always. For milder tightness, the doctor sometimes first suggests treatment without surgery or a smaller procedure that widens the foreskin. If the tightness persists, if the inflammation keeps coming back or if there is scarring of the foreskin, the urologist usually recommends circumcision. The decision depends on the findings at the consultation.
Is circumcision performed on children?
In boys, a tight foreskin in the first years of life is usually normal, and in most boys the foreskin gradually becomes easier to pull back by puberty. Whether treatment or a procedure is needed is decided by a doctor, usually a paediatric surgeon or a paediatric urologist, after an examination. The information on this page refers to circumcision in adults. Please check when booking whether Maja Hospital performs the procedure on children.
How much does circumcision cost in Niš?
The current price of circumcision under local anaesthetic is shown in the price table on this page and in the Maja Hospital urology price list. The prices of urologist consultations and follow-up appointments are listed in the urology price list. Please check when booking exactly what the price includes. If you have voluntary health insurance, check with your insurance company whether the procedure is covered.
Can circumcision be repeated?
Whether a repeat procedure is needed after a previous circumcision, and what kind, is assessed by the urologist at the consultation.
The information in this text is general in nature and does not replace an examination by a doctor.
Book an appointment: Circumcision
Information on this website does not replace a medical examination. Treatment is decided by a doctor after the examination.