Archive for June, 2008

2 young men ages 19 and 24 had cosmetic circumcisions Friday

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

Both were accompanied by their Moms, in each instance 2 classy ladies who were well dressed and very articulate, and one reserved Dad for good measure.  You can believe the best part about doing the circ is walking out to the waiting room and calling Mom and Dad back to join their son in the recovery room.  Smiles and a look of contentment from the patient (”no big thing”) can instantly provide more assurance than ever I could.

Yes, it is a big thing, because each step of the way, we are providing every quality control measure that this operation will go exactly as anticipated with zero pain, and that the patient will have the opportunity to watch work in progress and approve of the final result before the dressing goes on.

Is it time for breakfast or lunch?  Claire, ask the patient what he has a yen for..  We have fresh French bread and roast beef in the refrigerator, or hot sausages and eggs with coffee to wash it down.  Don’t forget the OJ and our fancy napkins.

Both patients were seen on Saturday and looked great.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

 

A work list for revision of an adult cirucmcision

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

I am dissatisfied with the results of the circumcision, in particular the following:
1) I have several stick tunnels, two of which have already become sore and red and excreted discharge in the past months.
2) The circumcision is fairly tight underneath, however there is excess skin on top that I would like removed.
3) There are still remnants of the fraenulum which I would like to have removed or tidied up.
4) Generally the circumcision site is uneven and unsightly.

I am looking for a doctor to perform a re-circumcision and after much research on the Internet, Dr Reed has been highly recommended.  I would like to have the above problems resolved and a tidier and tighter circumcision as a result.

Richard

 

Dear Richard,

We work almost around the clock to put smiling faces back
on “journeyman” circumcisions.  What’s more, we
love work lists, and these are always posted on the
wall in the operating room.  You also find a hand held
mirror nearby because we want you to watch work
in progress to be sure, every detail is corrected to
your satisfaction.

Routinely, we see patients in the morning and you’ll be
gowning up shortly afterwards for revision.   So please
review the informed consent which is posted on our web-site.

We do ask that you stay overnight and be seen the next day
for a dressing check.  Two days of bed rest is better
than one, especially given the nature of what needs
to be done. Unnecessary swelling and bruising is the
great enemy of a good cosmetic result.

A circumcision is perhaps the highest cosmetic
calling given to a urologist. 

 

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

 

A “clumsily” performed self circumcision. The way out (revision)

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

 In PROCIRCORG@yahoogroups.com, “steven.t” <steven.t@…> wrote:
>
> Hello Dr. Reed & Everyone,
>
> A while ago I posted my experience with an amateur, clumsily performed
> circ which left me with very little skin (too tight for a full
> erection) and a painful scar.
>
> After the surgery there was very little dark skin left and the pink
> skin stretched to make up the difference. My penis is usually about 2″
>  or less when flaccid and about 6″ when erect. On the underside there
> is about 3/4″ left of dark skin before the scrotum.
>
> Ideally, what I would like would be to restore as much as possible of
> the dark skin perhaps using a stretching method that the restoration
> sites advocate, but I’m worried about scrotal skin being pulled
> forward and ending up with hairy skin on the shaft at the base.
>
> After the restoration, I’d like to be re-cut so that I no longer have
> the ugly scar, much less pink skin and the glans is covered when
> flaccid, but exposed when erect.
>
> My questions are these: are there methods of stretching which won’t
> cause the scrotal skin to be pulled forward? Also, can the tiny amount
> of skin I have left be stretched out enough to work with (I understand
> it can take years)? Are there other options to achieve the same effect?
>
> I understand if a consult is necessary to answer these questions, and
> if so I will make arrangements to come down to see you when I can.
>
> Thanks very much for your kind attention.

 

Good morning Steven,

Scrotal skin often is seen on the underside of the penis,
in uncircumcised and certainly in many circumcised men.

Scrotal skin varies in thickness, and surprisingly at times,
except for color and some follicular (goose flesh) type of appearance it is quite and acceptably similar.

If you are stretching, then be grateful for whatever skin is
generated.

If you incur some peno-scrotal web-formation, this can be dealt with later on still leaving a fair amount of scrotal skin on the underside. 

Light skin can be medically tattooed.  132 different skin colors
are available.  So really just concentrate on making more skin, and ultimately cleaning up the scar line with a cosmetic adult circumcision revision.
Best wishes,

 

Harold Reed, M.D.

A most unusual circumcision revision

Saturday, June 14th, 2008

The fallout seems that 50% of my work is revising the work of other doctors and that is all well and good.

Have to be careful not to cast aspersions, afterall most of what that other urologist does may be excellent.

Two days ago, received a patient from Canada, a college graduate in the science of physical wellness, who
had a circumcision about 6 months ago.  Heavy dense thick scars like pebbles and an irregular suture line, large suture tracts spaced somewhat widely apart, a tough thick frenulum, mis-match of the frenulum and raphe.  But fairly tight circumcision and also low.

My mission was to remove as much underlying scar, (all of it hopefully) freshen up the incision line, remove the frenulum and realign the raphe.  The case took longer than 2 “virginal” circumcisions back to back.   Had to use loupes.

Ultimately the patient had a very acceptable result.  Hand held mirror nearby throughout the case for his review and comment.

Seen at the Whitehouse Inn yesterday and looks great.  Bed rest for 2 more days.  A hematoma or collection of  blood under the skin is a set-up for inflammatory fibrosis which is a great enemy of good cosmetic (soft natural) wound healing.  Even if a patient looks dry on the operating table, simple hydraulics tell us

If a patient is upright, even sitting up, there is a venous column of blood potentially pushing trace oozing out of every ruptured capillary that has yet to seal off.  Simply raise your hand above your heart and the veins on the back collapse.  Less blood, less oozing.

We are careful never to promise perfection, but usually we can greatly improve appearance.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

Re: circumcision rates in USA

Thursday, June 12th, 2008
In PROCIRCORG@yahoogroups.com, swatman100@… wrote:
I wonder what gave rise to all the new(er) web sites and articles
opposing circumcision. I have read that Medicaid and some insurers will not
pay for it now but that is typical in budget crunches. The seem in some
ways to have  a valid argument but so do those that advocate circumcision.

Also, I have never found two souses that give up to date rates of
adult or  neonatal circumcision. Any clues?

 

Good morning Swatman,

In general, circumcision in the United States is alive and well.
Hispanics are less inclined but offset by other ethnic and socio-
economic groups who are more inclined. Infant circumcision rates may
be less, but perhaps offset by higher adult circumcision rates which
are less monitored.

There is only so much insurance money available, especially during these
recession times. When adult men (for example) with erectile impairment are
screaming for a penile implant which in itself costs $7,500 to $8,000 (does not
include hospital, anesthetic or surgical fee) where is all this circ money
coming from?)

In my practice, each year our number of adult circumcisions is clearly
increasing, but that certainly could be a “selection” factor.

Anti-circers are perhaps justifiably upset in that with infants and
children, circumcision is performed without the permission of the
patient and is not in most instances immediately medically necessary
and of course, may not be medically necessary at all. Their web-
sites tend to slant and emotionalize the “horrors” of circumcision,
the crying baby. They are very proactive and will not go away, and are
continuously replaced with new legions of anti-circers, who will be here 1
thousand years from now.

Adult circumcision is usually an elective, patient gives consent,
situation. Circumcision is not as we used to say at Bellevue Hospital a “see
one, do one, teach one” type of operation. In fact no operation really is.

The are skills that set apart one doctor from another and, cosmetic
goals, that if never learned are never striven for.

The following information is taken from sites that are either at best
neutral or anti-circ and sustain my belief that circumcision in not
going away anytime soon.

Cordially,

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

Infant (neonatal) circumcision is more common in the United States,
Canada, and the Middle East. It is much less common in Asia, South
America, Central America, and Europe.

According to the 2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey, 55.9% of
all newborn males in the United States were circumcised. This is down
from 64.7% in 1980. However, circumcision rates vary by race and
geographic distribution.

Caucasians have the highest circumcision rate, followed by African
Americans and Hispanics. Geographically, the highest rates are found
in the Midwest, followed by the Northeast, the South, and the West.

Healthcare coverage also has an effect on circumcision rates. Most
insurance plans continue to pay for infant circumcision. However, as
of 2005, 16 states no longer fund routine neonatal circumcisions
through Medicaid, causing a decrease in the number of procedures
performed.

taken from http://www.boystoo.com/history/statistics.htm
(obviously an anticirc site, first words in first paragraph: “Male
Genital Mutilation”)

Table 1: Intact and Circumcised Male Populations
of the USA by Year, 1900 to 2000

Male population (millions)

For 5 year period Commencing with Year

Year
Intact
Circumcised
Total
Circumcised
(%)
Male
Births
(millions)
Newborn
Circumcision
Rate (%)
Newborn
Circumcisions
(millions)
Non-newborn
Circumcision
(millions)

1900
30
7
37
18
5.1
30
1.5
0.3

1905
33
8
41
20
5.6
35
2.0
0.3

1910
35
10
45
22
6.6
42
2.8
0.4

1915
37
12
49
25
7.0
50
3.5
0.4

1920
37
15
52
29
8.0
52
4.2
0.4

1925
38
19
56
33
6.2
55
3.4
0.5

1930
38
21
60
36
6.3
58
3.7
0.5

1935
38
24
62
39
6.5
60
3.9
0.5

1940
37
27
64
42
7.5
65
4.9
0.5

1945
37
31
68
46
8.7
70
6.1
0.5

1950
37
37
74
50
9.9
72
7.1
0.6

1955
38
43
81
53
11.1
75
8.3
0.6

1960
38
50
88
57
10.7
78
8.4
0.6

1965
38
57
95
60
9.3
80
7.4
0.6

1970
37
63
100
63
8.7
82
7.1
0.6

1975
37
68
105
65
8.5
85
7.2
0.6

1980
36
74
111
67
9.8
80
7.8
0.7

1985
36
80
116
69
9.9
74
7.3
0.8

1990
36
85
122
70
10.4
68
7.1
1.0

1995
38
90
128
70
10.0
63
6.3
1.1

2000
39
94
133
70

Totals
165.8
66
110.0
11.4

Sources:
Population data: U.S. Bureau of the Census
Circumcision data: Wallerstein

1. 70% of the current male population of the US have been
circumcised.

2. 110 of the 166 million males (66%) born during the century
underwent circumcision in the newborn period.

3. The annual number of circumcisions was highest between 1955 and
1965. During that decade, 1.8 million males were circumcised every
year — almost 5,000 every day.

4. Between 1915 and 1995 the intact male population remained in a
very narrow band between 36 and 38 million, while the circumcised
male population soared from 12 million to 90 million.

5. A male born during the century who remained intact in the newborn
period had on average about a one in five chance of being circumcised
after the newborn period, or a four in five probability of dying
intact. That probability fell steadily during the course of the
century so that, if the current post-newborn circumcision rate
remains constant in the future, a male born at the end of the century
who escaped circumcision in the newborn period nevertheless has less
than a two in three chance of dying intact.

6. The model used to produce these figures takes into account non-
newborn circumcision rates, the rate of immigration and the
circumcision status of immigrants, and the circumcision status of
deaths and emigrants, all important factors in arriving at the
percentage of living males who have been circumcised.

Table 2: Number and Percentage of Living Males in USA in 2000
who have been Circumcised, by Age and Place of Birth

Sources:
Population data: U.S. Bureau of the Census
Circumcision data: Wallerstein

NC = Circumcised in the newborn period (neonatal circumcision)
LC = Circumcised after the newborn period (later circumcision)
AC = Circumcised prior to arrival in the USA
PC = Circumcised after arrival in the USA

1. Table 2 also shows that 70% of the current male population of the
US have been circumcised.

2. The figure for every age group below the age of 90 is over 50%.
Only the (very small and rapidly diminishing number of) males born
before 1910 have a better than even chance of having retained their
foreskins.

3. 87% of all 20-24yo males born in US have been circumcised. From
the differences in circumcision rates by race, one can infer that
over 90% of all 20-24yo white males born in US have been circumcised.

Serious cyclist wants a low cut

Sunday, June 8th, 2008
Dear Dr. Reed,

Here are pics I have found.  One pic is of an unknown man, the other
two  are from a porn model.  Finally, the one marked "oh, pappy" is
of me so you can see what you have to work with. I have heard this
type of cut referred to as a "beauty" cut, and I agree that it is by
far the most attractive.

My hesitation at this point is due to a fear of loss of sensitivity.
I have heard both sides of that from the google groups I have joined
in doing research.  I have special interest in that.  I have no
trouble whatsover in achieving and maintaining an erection. I have
always taken a long time to achieve an orgasm, but since I started
taking a combination of Wellbutrin and Celexa, my orgasm can be
delayed to the point of frustration. My fear is that the operation I
want will worsen this dramatically. Have you had any other patients
with that issue?

In the meantime, I will call your office and take the phone interview
you mentioned.  I am looking to have the procedure in December. I
can't do it before then, as I am a serious cyclist, and don't want to
lose any time on the bike.

Sincerely,
Lambert

Hi Lambert,

Thank you for the photos.  The one of you looks
like you are circumcised already.

Please remember while it is possible to give you that low look, the
circumference of the distal inner skin which must abut against the
outer skin is much less.

Therefore although everything matched on the top and side very
smoothly on the porno photos, underneath,  the outside (upper or
pigmented)  skin will have to be reduced by a dart like incision
in the ventral midline so that everything comes together without
puckers.

Best wishes for a happy weekend,

Harold M. Reed, M.D.,
305-865-2000

Thank you, Doctor.

I understand.  I am not circumcised, it's just the way I am built. I
would think I don't need to be cut, except that I want a very clean.
smooth, look. A dart on the ventral side is acceptable,  I am very
impessed that you would spend the time to explain that to me. So many
doctors don't care that much.

Thank you again for the explanation.

I want to have my frenum completely excised. Not just the raphe line,
but also I want the upper fanning, or upper delta, of the frenulum
removed.  At the broad, fanning, place where it joins my glans, I
want it cleanly cut away from the glans. The glans should be sculpted
on the ventral side.

I still must call your office to have the interview.

Thank you so much for your time.

Lambert
Hi Lambert,
Thanks for your E-mail inquiry and visiting our
web-site http://penisdoctor.com/circumcision.htm.

A circumcision is perhaps the highest cosmetic
calling given to a urologist.  

Regretfully we do not maintain a directory of a handful
of urologists who are exceedingly gifted in cosmetic circumcision.

Our patients come from all over the world including
the UK, several each month, and even Kazakhstan
(from a small town Alma-Ata, 150 miles west of the Chinese
border).  One patient said something I’ll never forget…
“my penis is my calling card.”

We do several circumcisions and a few revisions
here every week, as we enjoy a reputation for
excellence and exactitude when it comes to
cosmetically performed adult circumcisions.  We
operate within tolerances of 1/32″ or about 1/2 mm.

Pain is virtually non-existent among our patients.
They smile as they leave the office, and by and
large remain free of discomfort as evidenced by our
followup contact with them.

After seeing so many circumcised men who look very
much like they were done later in life, because
of large suture tracts, and irregularly meeting
skin, I developed perhaps a unique approach to
be sure this did not happen to my patients,
and have found no need to vary over the past 15
years.

Firstly, I confer with the patient to find out
exactly what type of result he is looking for,
tight or loose, no unpigmented skin or some
left, removal of the frenulum or preservation
of the frenulum, etc.  Secondly, only fine
plastic surgery suture is used to create perfect
alignment.

Our fee is $250 for consultation and the charge for
cosmetically performed circumcision or revision
of work done by others including local anesthesia
and use of the facility is an additional $1500.

Candidates who wish to secure their reservations
with our facilities are required to have minimally
letters of clearance if needed and a phone consultation
with a favorable response to questions of concern. 
Assuming this, you will be given the nod to send
in a 50% deposit which is non-refundable. 

If there is further interest please call and ask
for Anne our amiable office manager who
will assist with arrangements. 

Please no aspirin or aspirin products, no anti-inflammatory drugs
such as Motrin, Advil, Alleve, or Cox 2 inhibitors such as Celebrex
or Vioxx for a week before surgery. No Vitamin E or excessive alcohol
or spices for a week before surgery as this may promote bruising.
Bruising can be reduced (many believe) with Bromelain 500 mg 1 twice
a day, Arnica montana (Boiron brand) dose 30C (take 4 small tablets
sublingually, 4 times a day), vitamin C 500 mg (3 times a day)
starting 1 week before surgery. Do take these medications
unless there are specific reasons why you choose not to
and let’s discuss it beforehand.

Boiron brand is available at Whole Foods and on the web at
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com for “pennies” and we do notice
a difference.  You will need 2 vials.

We hope to have the pleasure of serving you
whenever your travel plans include the South
Florida area.

Please also consider joining a very stimulating
discussion group re: circumcision with submitted
photos, and some humor by logging in on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PROCIRCORG/
We hope you’ll join us!

With regards,

Harold M. Reed, M.D.
305-865-2000

P.S.   Take a look at this unsolicited web-site
constructed by a patient of mine.  Is this
what you have in mind?  Especially the
photos taken 60 days post-op.

http://www.circlist.com/considering/davids_freehand_circumcision.html 

Also view:  http://www.circlist.com/considering/findphysician.html
and read several unsolicited recommendations.

				

Testicular enhancement

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

A prospective patient called to my attention, that my post-operative photographs of a testicular (scrotal) enhancement were published on another doctor’s web-site.  Although the copies were grainy, there was no question these were my photos and of course the labeling was really inappropriate.

The doctor claims to be an innovator and inventor, but ironically had not even given me credit for the photos.  Although I am dismayed, I guess I should be flattered.

 

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

 

Listening to the patient and allowing him to see work in progress

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

When is a circumcision cosmetically performed.  Well for one the detail and match up has to be right on. We don’t want to see puckers when large suture, like howser for mooring a ship, are used every 3rd to 4th space when smaller sutures could have been used.  Surely, we don’t want to see residual pin hopes and ghost lines, which are tell tale signs of an adult circumcision.  The skin should be not so loose it is draping over the rim of the penis or so tight it is tenting the pubic skin during erection or causing a penile scrotal web (turkey neck).

That part’s not supposed to go in the vagina and of course detracts from perceived length.  Is you doctor attentive to you precise requests and giving you good eye contact and pre-marking you with your approval and allowing you to watch work in progress with a hand held mirror to be absolutely sure, it is being done your way.

Harold M. Reed, M.D.

Penile Shortening Following implant from 6 1/2 to 3 1/2″

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

What a loss and how does this happen and what can be done?  In this particular patient I pulled on the head of the penis and the tips were not in the mid glans but at the distal shaft, a loss of 1/2 to 3/4″ right there.  Had an expandable implant been installed with usage the patient might have gained another 1/2 inch.

When inappropriately short implants are used, the penis may just scar down to a smaller size and the only remedy is to try traction before another procedure or a penile lengthening surgical technique which can vary from pubic dermatolipectomy, release of the suspensory ligament, or release of the neruro-vascular bundle and urethra and apply a patch graft to help extend the corpora.  This is very advanced and risk laden surgery as opposed to simply installing an expander cylinder, but requested by a very insistent patient.

Harold Reed, M.D.