Rectosigmoid vaginoplasty utilizes a piece of the rectosigmoid colon insteadof skin grafts or inverted penile tissue. This technique allows for the creation of a deep and lubricated vagina, but is a more invasive and dangerous procedure and rarely the technique of choice.
To keep the new vagina from closing, a balloon-type device called a vaginal stent is inserted and remains in place for the length of the hospital stay, which averages around six days with complete bed rest. Demerol or morphine areusually given intravenously to ease the pain, and the surgical area is kept packed with ice to decrease swelling and bleeding. Because the entire reconstructive procedure cannot be performed in one operation, many individuals choose to have a second operation three months later to enhance the cosmetic appearance of the labia and clitoris.
The most victoria milan common complication of male-to-female surgery is the strong tendencyfor the vagina to shrink and eventually obliterate itself. Surgery to correct the situation is more difficult and extensive than the initial procedure. It involves making incisions in the inverted penile skin and inserting full thickness skin grafts.
To enhance their overall femininity, the male-to-female transsexual may alsodecide to have a “cosmetic thyroid cartilage reduction” (tracheal shaving), which reshapes the Adam’s Apple, making it inconspicuous
Patients should return to their surgeon for six-month, 12-month, and 24-monthassessment, and seek routine examinations for any particular personal problem that may arise. Follow-up assessments are important to track the social andpsychological development of the individual. Also following surgery, the patient will return to the female hormone regimen, which will continue to reshape the body to a more feminine contour and encourage the growth of breasts. (If larger breasts are desired, saline-filled breast implants can be inserted through an incision along the border of the areola under the breast tissue andthe pectoralis major muscles.) The hormone regimen will continue for the rest of the individual’s life, and the individual should obtain check-ups at least annually.
The procedure entails several surgeries during whicha tube-shaped structure is constructed by peeling and rolling skin from theabdomen or upper thigh and ultimately attaching it over the clitoris to preserve as much sexual stimulation as possible
Also, several voicemodification techniques are available to help raise the pitch of the voice for a more feminine tone. One common and perhaps the safest technique is a “cricothyroid approximation (CTA). In this procedure, the Adam’s Apple is pushedagainst the cricoid cartilage to which it is then stitched. This puts pressure on the vocal cords, tightening them and raising their pitch. This is a reversible procedure, and is of little risk to the vocal chords because the larynx is not involved. However, the permanence of this procedure remains to be determined.
Laser assisted voice adjustment (LAVA) is another option. This endoscopic surgery is irreversible and still considered experimental; however, it has shownsome success in raising the frequency of the male-to-female transsexual’s voice by as much a 100 Hz. The procedure involves reducing the thickness of thevocal chords with a carbon dioxide laser. Reduction in the vocal chord mass,and because as the vocal chords stiffen as they heal, cause they vibrate faster once healed, creating a higher pitch. Drawbacks to this procedure are thepossibility of permanent hoarseness, bleeding, swollen airways that may require hospitalization, and sore throat.
Other surgical procedures may also be considered, such as reshaping of the chin and cheeks, forehead contouring, and rib removal.
Female-to-male surgery has achieved lesser success, due to the difficulty ofbuilding a functioning penis from the much smaller clitoral tissue availablein the female genitals. Others use a prosthetic penisthat is either glued or strapped on, while yet others choose to undergo a phalloplasty (plastic surgery to attach a penis). Penis construction is not attempted less than a year after the preliminary surgery during which the uterusand ovaries are removed. This procedure often creates unsatisfactory urination ability and, while the penis can be used for intercourse, it is less than perfect. However, the presence of a penis is often highly important to the individual’s overall concept of their body image. While one study in Singapore found that a third of individuals who underwent female-to-male SRS would not choose to do so again, they were all pleased with the reassignment of their gender.
