What is phalloplasty?
Phalloplasty is a surgical technique that allows the reconstruction of a phallus (penis or male genital organ) from other structures. To achieve this, tissue from other areas of the body is used, such as skin or fat from the forearm, as well as tissue from the thigh or abdomen. This is a common surgical procedure to perform a sex change from female to male.
Through this treatment, it is possible to achieve genitalia in accordance with the male, to achieve a sexuality with which to feel comfortable and to put an end to the feeling of discordance with the body image. In addition, the objective of the surgery is also to obtain a penis that is functional micturally and has tactile and erogenous sensitivity.
Why is it performed?
This type of surgery is usually performed on male transsexuals in order to assign a male sex, but it is not an exclusive surgery for transsexuals. It is also performed on men who have suffered penile cancer, as well as trauma or those who have suffered traffic accidents and have undergone penile amputation. These cases can benefit from this intervention.
In this sense, there are basically two profiles that undergo this type of surgery. The most common is the man born with a woman’s body who wants to finish his process by reconstructing his genitals with a penis. The other profile is any man who has suffered an amputation as a consequence of cancer or an accident, a much less frequent case. There are also cases of men who were born with a micropenis, which leads them to require a phalloplasty.
What does it consist of?
This surgery consists of two phases: in the first phase, a functional penis is created and, in the second phase, a prosthesis is incorporated to achieve an erection.
In the first surgery, tissue from the forearm or thigh area is used to form a tubular structure to create an internal urethra and penile structure. The success of this first phase determines the appearance of tactile and erogenous sensitivity after a few months. In this intervention, the vagina is also resected and an exeresis of the uterus and ovaries can also be performed. In the second surgery, the testicular prosthesis is placed.
Preparation for phalloplasty
Before undergoing surgery, the patient must meet with the surgeon, who will be responsible for providing information about the procedure (anesthesia, guidelines prior to surgery, controls, the results that can be obtained …).
In addition, the surgeon will evaluate the patient’s health through a series of tests:
- A review of the medical history.
- A physical examination.
- A review of immunizations.
- Identification of alcohol, tobacco and drug problems.
- Identification of possible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Post-procedure care
After the operation, the patient will be temporarily immobilized, thus facilitating suturing and healing of the penile area. Afterwards, the patient will be able to move around but will have to use a catheter for three weeks.
In addition, he will have to follow a series of postoperative cares, among which are the following:
- Rest: it is important to be careful with certain activities in order to recover as quickly as possible.
- Take care of the hygiene of the area: during the first weeks, the patient will not be able to have sexual relations. In addition, it is important to follow the hygiene advice given by the surgeon.
- Follow up with the specialist: it is important to go to the surgeon’s office for the corresponding controls.
Alternatives to this treatment (other more advanced treatments)
As an alternative to phalloplasty there is metoidioplasty or masculinization surgery, which is a surgical technique variant to phalloplasty for those patients who are looking for a simple surgery. In this case, the surgery is performed in only one stage. However, it does not allow penetration, so it is an alternative for those patients who do not want to maintain sexual activity.