PHIMOSIS - IS CIRCUMCISION NECESSARY

Circumcision has been the traditional treatment for phimosis, but now is not the only management option, the best of which appears to be top ical steroid application. Importantly, the literature suggests that ph imosis probably is overdiagnosed, indicating that a prospective, rando mized controlled study is needed to compare the non-circumcision optio ns. Such a study would require consensus on the diagnostic criteria fo r phimosis; therefore, a more exacting definition would be needed and is suggested. Despite the non-controlled data on medical treatment of true phimosis, there seems little doubt that surgical intervention is not needed for all male infants with adherence of the foreskin to the glans, a non-retractable foreskin or, indeed, true phimosis.