A circumcision has led to terrible, potentially fatal complications in Denmark. The lamentable situation is drawing further attention to the dangers of the procedure.

Steven Svoboda
Attorneys for the Rights of the Child

http://www.bt.dk/danmark/laege-omskaering-gik-helt-galt-i-nordvest-baby-i-koma

BT [translation into English by Jonathan Friedman of ARC fusing Microsoft and Google machine translations]

May 23, 2014

Doctor: Circumcision went very wrong in Northwest [of Copenhagen, ed.] – baby in coma

A little baby has been so badly injured in connection with a circumcision at a private clinic in Nørrebro [Northwest district of Copenhagen, ed.] that he has been put into a coma.

That is what was reported in a post on Facebook, which has been spread with lightning speed on facebook over the past few days. Among others, people like Suzanne Bjerrehus and renowned consultant and researcher in sexual health Morten Frisch have shared the post widely.

The latter confirms that the story is true to BT.

“I can confirm that the story is true. I have spoken with the doctor who performed the surgery, and he confirms that the boy is on life support,” says Morten Frisch.

According to the post, allegedly written by a family member of the little boy, the baby ended up in a coma after he was circumcised on Tuesday at a private clinic in the Northwest District of Copenhagen. The boy was subsequently hospitalized at Hvidovre Hospital, where he was in a coma.

“Before circumcision, he (the doctor) gave anesthetic, unfortunately the amateur gave the baby too much anesthetic ca. 8ml. (He ought to give a maximum of 3 ml. Since the baby only weighs 3 kg.) Shortly after circumcision, and while the baby was still at the clinic, he began to find it difficult to breathe and the color of his face changed while liquid was coming out of his mouth,” according to the wording of the post, which warns everyone against using the mentioned doctor.

Circumcision of boys has been a hot political issue in recent years, and this unhappy story has also reached politicians at Christiansborg [the Danish Parliament, ed.].

Danish People’s Party member Liselott Blixt asked on Thursday following question to Health Minister Nick Hækkerup (Social Democrat):

“Can the Minister confirm or deny the story that is rife in the media about a baby who was administered too much anesthetic during circumcision and is now hospitalized at Hvidovre Hospital?”

Liselott Blixt said to BT on Friday morning that she has not yet received a reply from Nick Hækkerup .

BT has tried to get a comment from the doctor who performed the circumcision, but a woman who answers his phone said he has no comment on the matter. On Thursday BT visited the clinic in Nørrebro, there was no one present.

Hvidovre Hospital will neither confirm nor deny the story, but BT’s other sources have confirmed that the little boy has been hospitalized at Hvidovre Hospital.

Despite several attempts, it has not been possible to make contact with the little boy’s family.

Related Content:
Denmark’s Health Board Issues New Circumcision Restrictions
Danish Doctors Call Circumcision Mutilation