Circumcision Gone Wrong: 8-Day-Old Baby Boy’s Penis Reattached After Botched Brit Ceremony

It sounds like every new parent’s worst nightmare when sending their newborn son off to have a circumcision. An 8-day-old baby’s penis was reattached after a circumcision went wrong, reports Israel Hayom.

The publication calls the circumcision a brit, which is also termed the “Brit Milah,” according to Chabad. It’s a ceremony that represents one of the oldest and most revered practices of Judaism — practiced by those of Jewish heritage and also by certain Christians who don’t normally term it a “brit” or “bris” ceremony. Either way, circumcision usually only involves foreskin removal and holds a deep spiritual significance for those who view it as more than a surgery to help with genital cleanliness.

“The brit, ritual circumcision, is a symbol of our partnership with G?d. Etched in the flesh of our physical bodies, the covenant will never end or be forgotten.”

The circumcision of the baby in question went wrong and was somehow botched. However, the quick-thinking family was able to save the infant’s penis by storing the dismembered member on ice until such time that it could be reattached successfully at the Rambam Healthcare Campus Hospital’s Pediatric Emergency Unit.

The cringeworthy event has caused the article about the baby boy out of northern Israel to go viral worldwide, with more than 1,300 Facebook recommendations on the piece thus far.

The “mohel” — defined as “a Jewish person trained in the practice of brit milah, the covenant of circumcision” — generally possess special skills and training in the delicate practice of performing circumcisions prior to being allowed to conduct such a surgery on an infant. Usually, the mohel first recites a blessing prior to performing the circumcision. It is unclear what specifically went wrong in this case of the botched circumcision that occurred this week. However, reports indicate that the mohel cut part of the baby boy’s urethra along with the foreskin.

Benjamin Hardak is the name of the senior pediatric urologist who reattached the baby’s severed penis. Indeed, Hardak MD, is listed as “Attending Physician, Department of Urology” on the Rambam Healthcare Campus website. Dr. Hardak was hopeful about the baby’s chances of complete recovery but cautioned that taking a wait-and-see approach is what’s needed next.

“We are optimistic about the baby’s chances of recovery. These kind of procedures are relatively rare. The operation was a success and we are optimistic about the baby’s chances of recovery, but it is still too soon to know what the ramifications will be for the baby. We are monitoring his condition closely.”

The baby was admitted to the ICU after the surgery. As reported by the Inquisitr, circumcisions can be controversial, especially when parents disagree about whether to have the procedure performed. Botched circumcisions account for fewer than 1 percent of cases — and those few cases generally involve excessive bleeding.

[Image via Rambam.org]