What is the best anesthesia method for circumcision? Comparison of local and general anesthesia: Prospective clinical study

Objective: It was aimed to compare the methods of local anesthesia and general anesthesia with circumcision study questionnaire applied before and after circumcision. Material and Methods: Parents of children aged 0-12 years who applied for circumcision between June and December 2021 who agreed to participate in the study were asked to fill out the circumcision study questionnaire. All patients were operated with same surgeon and surgical method. Patients were divided into local and general anesthesia groups, and data were compared. Results: Our study included 282 patients; general anesthesia was applied to 132 patients (48.9%), and local anesthesia was applied to 144 patients (51.1%). Age and weight averages of patients who were administered local anesthesia and age preferences suitable for circumcision were significantly lower than those in general anesthesia group (p:0.001). There was no significant difference between socioeconomic levels, educational status and reasons for circumcision in both groups (p≥0.05). Patients’ need for postoperative care and recovery time was significantly lower in the local anesthesia group (p:0.001). Conclusion: Circumcision is a surgical operation that can be performed safely with local or general anesthesia. Parents who want circumcision in the early months of life mostly prefer local anesthesia. Postoperative recovery time is shorter in this group. Preference for anesthesia has changed in favor of general anesthesia in advanced ages, including the sexual development period. The knowledge and awareness level of our society about circumcision has increased compared to previous years. Keywords: circumcision, local anesthesia, general anesthesia, urinary tract infection