A New Zealand man who sought medical attention for a skin problem on his penis said he woke up against his will fully circumcised.
An unnamed man sought treatment for balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO), which the National Library of Medicine explains are “white, inflamed patches… In men, the affected areas usually include the foreskin and glans.”
“The cure is circumcision. Topical use of steroids first can help reduce the inflammatory burden before surgical intervention.”
Before the operation, the man, who is in his 50s, was told that circumcision – either full or partial – might be warranted once the procedure was underway, according to a report in New Zealand Gazette.
But he was only willing to have a partial procedure and did not agree to a “full” circumcision during the surgery in September 2021, the release said.
Picture of tools commonly used during surgery.
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“[I told the surgeon] directly in his face that I didn’t come for a full circumcision,” the patient said, according to the paper, which added that the surgeon who performed the procedure was a different surgeon than the one who first consulted the patient.
Although the surgeon says he does not recall the patient saying so, the attending anesthesiologist confirmed that the patient verbally objected to the full circumcision – even though the surgeon who performed the circumcision was not present at the time.
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The New Zealand Gazette reports that the patient was bandaged and did not realize he was fully circumcised until several days after being discharged.
The media added that although the man signed the consent form, he misunderstood the terminology used.
As a result of the circumcision, the source says the man “suffered adverse symptoms such as physical irritation, discomfort and ‘a significant reduction in sexual contact with his partner due to increased penile sensitivity.’ ”
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An investigation into the incident by Health and Disability Deputy Commissioner (HDC) Dr Vanessa Caldwell found that the hospital had breached the Health and Disability Service Users’ Rights Code and was ordered to formally apologise.
After the operation, Health HZ — the government agency that oversees health care in New Zealand — says it changed the way consent forms are handled and reminded staff to give the patient time to ask questions before any procedure.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education