Assessment of meatal stenosis in neonates undergoing circumcision using Plastibell Device with two different techniques

PURPOSE: It was intended to compare meatal stenosis (MS) as a late complication of neonatal circumcision by using two different methods of Plastibell Device circumcision. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2,307 healthy term newborns (6–36 hours) who were born between 2007 and 2009 in Niknafs Medical Center of Rafsanjan, Iran, were simply randomized into two groups in a controlled, nonblinded clinical trial. In group A (1,102 neonates), the frenulum was maintained intact without any manipulation, and in group B (1,205 neonates) frenular hemostasis was performed in all cases by thermal cautery. MS was assessed by follow-up visits that were made for all cases at the 24–72 hours, 60th day, 12th month, and 16th month after circumcision. RESULTS: At 2 months follow-up visit, the rate of MS in group A was 4.9% (54) and in group B was 5.9% (71), which was not statistically significant. After 12 months, MS in group A was 8.5% (94) and in group B was 13.7% (165), which was statistically significant (P<0.001). At 16 months after circumcision, in the frenulum intact group, MS was 13.8% (152) and in the cautery group, it was 18.9% (228), which was compatible with significant difference (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Our experience with large group of cases revealed that neonatal circumcision by using Plastibell Device with intact frenulum technique decreases the rate of delayed MS.