Lost money 'unjustly' burning genital warts

Hanoi: A 20-year-old man went for circumcision, medical staff discovered many tiny bumps in his genitals, advised to pay more money to burn the bumps.

The patient said that after the skin incision and circumcision, the doctor discovered a pimple in the genital area, which if not treated could have many consequences, and advised burning it immediately. Fearing that the pimple would have a later impact, the man agreed to pay for the surgery. The total cost of circumcision, burning the pimple and taking medicine was 23 million VND, instead of 5 million VND as advised.

On August 14, Dr. Nguyen Tuan Dat, Deputy Head of the Department of Andrology, 108 Central Military Hospital, said that the tiny grains are genital warts, also known as pearly penile papules, and are benign. When pearly penile papules are correctly diagnosed, no treatment is needed, but many cases "make a big deal out of the problem", causing patients to be afraid and spend millions to treat them.

The cause of pearly papules is still unknown, most commonly occurring between the ages of 20 and 40. Over time, the pearly papules may fade. In cases where the pearly penile papules are large, the doctor will consider laser treatment and removal.

"Many patients do not understand this condition and waste money on surgery. Many facilities lack professional ethics and take advantage of patients' lack of knowledge to prescribe and advise on costly treatments," said Dr. Dat.

Mr. Dat assessed that there are currently many reputable and high-quality male medical examination and treatment facilities, but there are also many places operating illegally, without a license, regardless of advertising to attract patients, even though they do not meet legal requirements. Most of these facilities advertise unusually low prices, then during the treatment process, problems arise and patients are asked to pay more.

"We once received a patient who had a circumcision that cost up to 32 million VND but still encountered complications, while the price at a reputable facility is only a few million VND," said Dr. Dat.

Like a 24-year-old man, after 4 hours of circumcision at a private medical facility, he was hospitalized for emergency care due to bleeding from the surgical wound, swelling of the genitals, bruising, and risk of necrosis. At the 108 Military Central Hospital, the patient was diagnosed with bleeding after circumcision, with a lot of blood clotting causing bruising and swelling of the penis. The patient then had the skin removed, the surgical wound cleaned, and reconstructed.

"Circumcision is a procedure that requires conditions such as a clean, sterile operating room and a surgeon who is professionally trained," said Dr. Dat, adding that during and after the surgery, if the procedure and hygiene are not followed correctly, men can easily experience complications.

Doctors recommend that patients should research information, choose reputable places, and avoid falling into the "cheap trap". A reputable medical facility must have a business license, full medical equipment, skilled doctors, and proper communication, not exaggerating or taking advantage of customers' psychology for profit.

"Facilities must fully advise on risks before, during and after minor surgery, and commit to costs, avoiding signs of 'drawing' or extorting money from patients," said Dr. Dat.

Le Nga

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