Assessment of Plastibell device safety for circumcision in Iraq: a retrospective study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15574/PS.2026.1(90).8287Keywords:
Plastibell, neonate, circumcision, surgical safety, infantsAbstract
The Plastibell® device is the most commonly used technique for routine male circumcision all over the globe.
Aim - to assess the Plastibell® device utilization safety for circumcision procedures in Iraq, its applicability across different age groups, and the incidence of associated complications.
Materials and methods. This is a retrospective study involving children who underwent circumcision using Plastibell® devices at the pediatric surgery clinic in Al Moosawi Private Hospital. The study was extended for 11 years and included 2041 boys. Three age groups were studied: neonates, infants 1-3 months old, and those older than three months.
Results. In the cohort of 2041 children, the mean age was 38.65 days (range 1 day to 3.5 years). The majority of participants were neonates (72.7%), followed by infants aged 1-3 months (19.5%) and older infants (> 3 months, 7.8%). Most cases originated from Basrah city center (56.1%), followed by peripheral districts (43.2%) and other governorates (0.7%). Complications were encountered in 3.6% of cases, with bleeding being the most prevalent (1.4%), followed by delayed ring separation (1.1%), incomplete circumcision (0.7%), proximal ring migration (0.2%), and infection (0.2%). A significant association between age and complication rates was found, with older infants experiencing higher rates of complications compared to neonates and infants aged 1-3 months. Six patients (0.29%) were reported to have incomplete circumcision.
Conclusion. This study underscores the safety of circumcision using Plastibell® rings in children, with minor complications being easily manageable. However, clinicians should be vigilant, particularly when performing the procedure in older infants, as they are at higher risk of experiencing complications.
The study was performed in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the institution mentioned in the work.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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