Not every transgender man chooses to pursue gender affirmation surgery. For those who do, one option is a phalloplasty, or a procedure to surgically construct a penis. Colloquially, many refer to this as simply “bottom surgery.”
“Phalloplasty is the biggest and most complex operation that we do,” says Jess Ting, MD, Reconstructive Surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “That operation can take 12 hours.” A phalloplasty is a difficult and complex surgery. It has a long recovery time and a relatively high risk of complications.
For some individuals, the surgery may still be worth the potential risks. Many people who have undergone this procedure are very satisfied with the outcomes, and it may help improve self-esteem and gender dysphoria. That’s why it’s beneficial to discuss the risks and benefits with your surgical team to decide if a phalloplasty is right for you.
Jess Ting, MD, is a Reconstructive Surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital.
References
Cavayero, C. T., et al. (2022). Penile prosthesis implantation. StatPearls [Internet].
Chang, T. S. (1984). Forearm flap in one-stage reconstruction of the penis. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Doornaert, M., et al. (2011). Penile reconstruction with the radial forearm flap: an update. Handchirurgie, Mikrochirurgie, plastische Chirurgie.
Leriche A, et al. (2008). Long-term outcome of forearm flee-flap phalloplasty in the treatment of transsexualism. BJU International.
Rashid, M., et al. (2013). Phalloplasty: the dream and the reality. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery.
Schultheiss, D., et al. (2005). Nikolaj A. Bogoraz (1874-1952): pioneer of phalloplasty and penile implant surgery. The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Thomas, R. L., et al. (2019). Plastic surgery pioneers of the central powers in the Great War. Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction.
Wu, S., et al. (2022). Complications of free-flap procedures for phalloplasty in female-to-male transgender surgery: 25-year experience a single medical center. Journal of the Chinese Medical Association.
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