Neonatal circumcision and penile dorsal nerve block--a painless procedure.

Circumcision is the only surgical procedure, excluding cord-clamping and cutting, which is routinely performed on normal, healthy newborn infants, usually during the first two or three days of life. Apparently no analgesic technique has been described nor suggested in association with neonatal circumcision. This is the first description of a technique of penile dorsal nerve block in neonatal circumcision. In 52 instances using 0.5 ml of 1% lidocaine (Xylocaine) and a 1.2 cm number 27 gauge needle PDNB was successfully and safely introduced with consistent elimination of pain, rendering NC a painless surgical procedure.