Comparison between Thermocautery Assisted and Classic Scalpel Gomco Clamp Circumcision in Neonates and Infants

Gerges, Peter Adel Zaki; Mohamed, Mahmoud Tarek; Kaddah, Sherif Nabhan; Marei, Mahmoud Marei

doi:10.21608/asjs.2025.401004.1217

Comparison between Thermocautery Assisted and Classic Scalpel Gomco Clamp Circumcision in Neonates and Infants

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Paediatric Surgery Department, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt

² Paediatric Surgery Section/Units, Departments of General Surgery, Cairo University, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH) and Cairo University Children’s Hospital (Abu El-Reesh El-Mounira), Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/asjs.2025.401004.1217

Abstract

Introduction: Circumcision in male children is a frequently performed surgical procedure that may be associated
with certain complications.
Aim of work: To compare thermocautery-assisted circumcision (TCC) with classic scalpel circumcision (CSC) in
neonates and infants.
Patients and methods: In this comparative interventional study, 215 infants ≤3 months were categorized into
TCC (n=138) and CSC (n=77) groups. Pain scores and complications were assessed postoperatively.
Results: Group A had an average age of 42.2 ± 26.9 days, while Group B had an average age of 37.7 ± 26.6
days. Bleeding was significantly lower in TCC (2.2%) than CSC (14.3%, P<0.001). Moderate and severe edema
were higher in TCC (P<0.05). Among neonates ≤30 days, mean pain scores were greater in TCC (6.5±0.7) vs. CSC
(6.0±0.8; P=0.006), but no significant pain differences were found in older infants.
Conclusion: Thermocautery circumcision reduced bleeding risk but increased moderate-to-severe edema and
neonatal pain scores compared to the scalpel technique.

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