Prepuce refers to the narrow opening of the foreskin, the foreskin can not be turned over, can not expose the head of the penis, there is a physiological adhesion between the foreskin and the head of the penis, this is a normal phenomenon in the newborn period, medically known as “congenital prepuce.
With the increase of age, especially at the age of 3 to 4 years, due to the growth of the penis and glans, penile erection, most children’s foreskin can retreat upward by themselves, and the foreskin can be turned out to reveal the glans. However, there are a small number of children whose foreskin opening is so small that the foreskin cannot retract, preventing the glans and even the entire penis from developing. The opening of the foreskin is as big as a pinhole, so that it is difficult to urinate. Children with prepuce, due to urine accumulation between the foreskin and glans, produce secretions and epidermal shedding, forming too much foreskin scale, often stimulate the inner plate of the foreskin and glans, can cause prepuce and urethritis, serious cases can cause foreskin and glans ulcers or the formation of stones, some children can be seen when urinating beanbag-like material discharge or urination difficulties. Therefore, children with congenital prepuce who have no obvious changes at the age of 3 to 4, especially those who are often red and inflamed, must undergo circumcision to avoid retrograde infection due to repeated infection and redness of the foreskin, which can cause urethritis or cystitis. Long-term inflammation of foreskin is an important factor to induce foreskin cancer. In addition and more importantly, the stimulation of foreskin glansitis caused by circumcision can cause frequent urination, children’s inability to concentrate, and the long time role is not conducive to the development of good habits in children, which is harmful for life.
Treatment: For congenital prepuce in infancy, the foreskin can be turned up repeatedly in order to expand the foreskin opening. This process should be gentle, and each time should be appropriate to stop, so as not to cause pain in the child. When the head of the penis is exposed, clean the foreskin and then restore the foreskin, otherwise it will cause imbedded prepuce.