The History of Circumcision — From Ancient Egypt to Modern Surgery
Circumcision has been practised for over 4,000 years. Here is the history of one of the world's most common surgical procedures, from ancient ritual to modern stapler technique.
The History of Circumcision — From Ancient Egypt to Modern Surgery
Circumcision is among the oldest surgical procedures known to human history. Evidence of the practice dates back to around 2300 BC in ancient Egypt, making it one of the most enduring medical and cultural traditions in human civilisation. Today, it is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world — and the techniques used to perform it have evolved significantly.
Ancient Origins
The earliest known depictions of circumcision appear in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and tomb reliefs dating to around 2300 BC. The procedure was performed using a flint blade and appears to have been associated with ritual purity, priestly status, and the transition to adulthood.
From Egypt, the practice spread across the ancient world. In Jewish and Islamic traditions, circumcision holds profound religious significance. According to Jewish law, male infants are circumcised on the eighth day of life in a ceremony known as a brit milah — a tradition that traces its origins to the covenant between God and Abraham described in the Hebrew scriptures. In Islamic tradition, circumcision (khitan) is considered a mark of cleanliness and is practised across Muslim communities worldwide.
This religious and cultural significance continues to drive the majority of circumcisions performed globally today. A retrospective cohort study published in BioMed Research International in 2026 found that 59% of adult patients in their cohort chose circumcision for religious or cultural reasons — the most common single indication in the study.
How Common Is It?
Male circumcision is one of the most prevalent surgical procedures performed worldwide. In the United States, studies suggest that up to 71% of males are circumcised. In Israel — a country with both large Jewish and Muslim populations — the circumcision rate reaches approximately 91%. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that over 600 million males are circumcised.
In the UK, circumcision rates are lower than in the United States but the procedure remains common — performed for religious reasons, medical indications such as phimosis or recurrent balanitis, and increasingly for personal or hygiene-related preferences in adult men.
Medical Indications
Beyond religious and cultural reasons, circumcision has well-established medical indications. These include:
Phimosis — a condition in which the foreskin is too tight to retract over the glans, which can cause pain, difficulty urinating, and recurrent infection.
Paraphimosis — a medical emergency in which a retracted foreskin becomes trapped and cannot be returned to its normal position.
Recurrent balanitis — repeated inflammation of the glans, often caused by bacterial or fungal infection, which can be resolved by circumcision.
Posthitis — inflammation of the foreskin itself, which may become chronic and require surgical intervention.
In the 2026 BioMed Research International cohort study, phimosis accounted for 28% of adult circumcision cases, and skin irritations or infections accounted for a further 13%.
The Evolution of Surgical Technique
For most of human history, circumcision was performed with a blade — the technique remaining largely unchanged for thousands of years. In the 20th century, a range of clamp-based devices were developed to standardise the procedure and reduce bleeding, including the Gomco clamp and the Plastibell device, both widely used in neonatal circumcision.
The first formal description of a dorsal penile nerve block for use in circumcision was published in 1978 by Kirya and Werthmann, establishing local anaesthesia as a viable and humane alternative to general anaesthesia for the procedure. This discovery transformed how circumcision was performed — particularly for adults — making it an outpatient procedure that could be completed safely without the risks associated with general anaesthesia.
Device-Assisted Circumcision
The 21st century has brought a new generation of surgical devices designed to simplify and standardise circumcision. A review published in European Urology Focus documented three novel devices — the ShangRing, the PrePex, and the Unicirc — all of which aim to reduce operative time, eliminate the need for suturing, and improve cosmetic outcomes.
The circular stapler, developed commercially in China, represents one of the most significant advances in circumcision technique for adult patients. A prospective randomised clinical trial comparing the stapler with conventional circumcision in 879 adult patients demonstrated that the stapler reduced operative time from an average of 24.2 minutes to just 6.8 minutes, significantly reduced blood loss, and nearly halved the complication rate.
The same trial also documented a case series using the Langhe Disposable Circumcision Suture Device (LDCSD), in which 20 patients aged 14 to 80 underwent circumcision with operating times of just 5 to 7 minutes, no major complications, and universal patient satisfaction with cosmetic and functional outcomes.
Circumcision Today
Today, adult circumcision is performed safely in private medical settings across the UK. For the vast majority of patients, it is a day-case procedure — you arrive, have the procedure, and go home the same day. The development of effective local anaesthetic techniques means general anaesthesia is almost never required.
At StaplerCirc, we use the circular stapler method as our primary technique — combining the precision of modern surgical device technology with the expertise of experienced urological surgeons. We also offer conventional circumcision for patients for whom the stapler is not clinically appropriate.
Whether your reasons for considering circumcision are medical, religious, cultural, or personal, our team is here to provide honest information and professional care in a completely confidential setting.
Book a Free Consultation
StaplerCirc operates across the UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Cardiff. Book your free consultation at www.staplercirc.co.uk/book.
This article is for information only. Please consult a qualified medical professional before proceeding with any surgical procedure.
References
Rub R et al. Efficiency and Patient Satisfaction of Local Anesthesia Use in Surgical Circumcision in Adults. BioMed Research International 2026; 2026:6079986.
Al Hussein Alawamlh O et al. Novel Devices for Adolescent and Adult Male Circumcision. European Urology Focus 4(2018): 329–332.
Jin XD et al. Adult male circumcision with a circular stapler versus conventional circumcision. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 48(6): 577–582, 2015.
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