Waiting list for cosmetic adult circumcision, suture removal
In PROCIRCORG@yahoogroups.com, “John O” wrote:
Hey again Dr. Reed,
I’m trying to put together a plan for myself, so I have three quick
questions.
1) How long is your current queue/waiting list? That is to say,
if I were to call your office, say, Monday, around when would you
likely have an available spot? Do you have a busier or less busy
time of year?
2) You might recall in my e-mail correspondence with you I said I
was afraid I’d be pretty wussy watching the procedure. You’ve been
very reassuring trying to put me at ease, but I still don’t trust my
ability to not be a trainwreck. A friend suggested I ask you if I’d
be okay to take a Valium before the procedure to smooth the edge off
my anxiety. Sound like a possibility?
3) In spite of what I write in Q#2, in the past I’ve always gotten
a kick out of taking my own stitches out, but those were plain-jane
cat-gut. From what you’ve said about plastic surgery sutures, it
doesn’t seem like it’d be appropriate this time for me to do the
job. Can you recommend someone in the Washington area (suburban
Maryland) who might be good?
Thanks again for your time …and humor!
John O.
Good morning John,
Taking your thoughtful questions in the order posed…
1. For circumcisions, we have availabilities almost any week.
Please call our amiable office coordinator Anne and schedule in. Typically we will meet in consultation for about 1/2 hour and your circumcision will follow that day. We do expect you to stay overnight
at a nearby motel, the Baltic is recommended (877-622-5842), Christine, very friendly owner and manager who presides there, has shown great partiality to our patients. Please see us the following day for a dressing check.
2. Valium is old fashioned because of a sustained serum level. Please consider Xanax 0.25 mg the night before and the morning of. If you are like 99% of our patients, you’ll say “what was all this fuss about.”
3. True, the sutures we put in are absorbable, but don’t let any health care professional talk you out of not having them removed on the 12 post operative day. This avoids ghost lines and pin holes. (This is a cosmetic circumcision, not the mark of Zoro) Most urgent care centers and quiet ER’s in a community hospital, not a county zoo, will remove your sutures. What is needed is a bright overhead light, loupes (like jewelers use), and delicate plastic surgery instruments found in every ER, because that’s where plastic surgeons often work. Or come back and see us and we would be delighted to emove your sutures.
All the best,
Harold M. Reed, M.D.
305-865-2000