Total Glans Amputation in a Child following Ritual Circumcision – Report of a Case and Review of Literature

Ritual circumcision in children remains a trivialized procedure in some countries, especially in rural areas. It is often performed by unqualified paramedical personnel, or even by religious workers whose notions of surgery and asepsis are uncertain. Although it is thought to be a minor procedure, major complications with sexual or even life-threatening prognosis can occur. Amputation of the glans during circumcision is a rare incidence secondary to poor application of operating principles. We report the case of a 1½-year-old boy who underwent a progressive amputation of the glans after a ritual circumcision by a religious worker. The child was brought 10 days after the procedure with totally amputated, nonsalvageable glans. A urethral meatoplasty was performed to enable proper voiding and prevent meatal stenosis. The child has been in follow-up for the past 6 months without any urinary symptoms.