A Gomco clamp, otherwise known as a Yellen clamp, is a specialized clamp for performing circumcision

Circumcision

Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....

s. It was invented by Hiram S. Yellen and Aaron Goldstein in 1934-1935. Gomco stands for the GOldstein Medical COmpany, the original manufacturer of the clamp. In a 1998 study, it was the preferred circumcision technique of 67% of US physicians.

Method

The technique is as follows:

• Anesthetic should be applied (though it is a historically recent addition, dating only to approximately the early 1990s).
• The foreskin
  Foreskin
  In male human anatomy, the foreskin is a generally retractable double-layered fold of skin and mucous membrane that covers the glans penis and protects the urinary meatus when the penis is not erect...
  
   is gripped with two hemostats (needle-nosed pliers) and a blunt object is forced between his foreskin and glans
  Glans
  The glans is a vascular structure located at the tip of the penis in men or a homologous genital structure of the clitoris in women.-Structure:...
  
  , tearing the connective tissue.
• Once separated, a hemostat is used to crush his foreskin lengthwise in order to reduce bleeding..
• Next, the foreskin is sliced lengthwise through the crushed tissue (dorsal slit
  Dorsal slit
  A dorsal slit is a single incision along the upper length of the foreskin from the tip to the corona, exposing the glans without removing any tissue....
  
  ) to allow space to insert the circumcision device..
• The bell of the Gomco clamp is placed over the glans, and the foreskin is pulled over the bell.
• The base of the Gomco clamp is placed over the bell, and the Gomco clamp's arm is fitted.
• After the surgeon confirms correct fitting and placement (and the amount of foreskin to be excised), the nut on the Gomco clamp is tightened, causing the clamping of nerves and blood flow to the foreskin.
• The Gomco clamp is left in place for about five minutes to allow clotting to occur, then the foreskin is severed using a scalpel.
• The Gomco's base and bell are then removed, allowing for bandaging of the penis

Advantages

• The scar is straight.
• The circumcision is relatively quick compared to the more recent Plastibell
  Plastibell
  The Plastibell Circumcision Device is a clear plastic ring with a deep groove running circumferentially designed for circumcising infant males. The Plastibell is placed onto the head of the penis during a 10 minute surgical procedure, and the device will fall off within 3 to 7 days...
  
  .

Disadvantages

• Involves several small parts which all must be sterile for the safety of the patient.
• Procedure takes longer than the traditional Jewish Shield or Mogen Clamp
  Mogen clamp
  The Mogen clamp, one of the three most common circumcision devices, was invented by Rabbi Harry Bronstein in 1954. It has two flat blades that open approx. 3 mm...
  
  techniques.
• The scar is more visible.

Prevalence

Probably over 75% of circumcised American men born between 1950 and 1980 were circumcised with a Gomco clamp or a variant. The presence of a light brown ring, typically one inch behind the corona, probably indicates a Gomco circumcision.

External links

• Historyofcircumcision.net: The Gomco clamp