(1)
A-1 (imported) wrote: Thu Feb 05, 2004 7:21 pm
I have not read about this type of surgery recently, however, I thought that the penile head was used to make a cervix.
(2) The procdure attempts to perserve the penile skin, turns it wrong-side out, similar to the way that a glove or a sock turns wrong side out and folds upon itself when you remove it. Technically, is is termed a de-gloving.
(3) To keep the newly formed vaginal vault patent a pessiary is kept in place, inserted during the healing process and after to keep the structure functional. If available, scrotal tissue is used to form the labia minora and labia majora.
(4) All in all, it is a pretty complicated and intricate surgery. It can take from 8 to 12 hours and the surgeons usually work in teams. Usually, the specialties are OB/GYN, Urology, Plastic and reconstructive and usually a general surgeon is on the team, also.
(5) It is said that very good results are obtainable and that when coupled with facial recostruction, larynx sculpting and nips, tucks, breast implants, hair removal and transplant that the results are indistigushable from natural in certain individuals.
(6) The bill can run $50k to 100k, depending on where and how the procedure is done and how much surgery is needed.
(7) It certainly does not go as fast as the video depicts it.
(8) Ya gotta want to change REAL badly to go through this.
Hello dear. Good comments. Here is probably more than what you want to know regarding what we go through:
(1) It is rather obsolete to use the glans penis an a pseudo-cervix. Presently, the more common use of the glans is for the clitoris. Not only is the glans homologous to the clitoris (the same tissue differentiates into either the glans or the clitoris, meaning that it is the same thing), but the glans is the main sensate tissue. You do want a sensate clitoris, yes?
(2) The most common type of vaginoplasty is what you describe--turning the penile skin inside out to form the lining. It is called "penile inversion." Often, other skin is grafted on as well. A newer and good technique is the scrotal graft.
(3) At the end of the surgery, "packing" is used to keep the vagina open. This is often a lot of cotton tissue. After several days or a week, it is removed, and then the patient needs to dilate with a stent for quite a lot of time afterwards and then regularly for life. A "stent" is a dildo-shaped tool, and "dilate" means to keep the stent inside of the vagina in order to keep it open. The scrotal skin can be used in part for a graft for the vagina, as well as for the labia majora (it is homologous again). Labia minora can be created by the more homologous penile skin.
(4) Typically, the surgery takes between 90 minutes for some Thai surgeons to six or more hours for the more detailed surgeons. Mine took seven hours, which was rather long. The team consists of the surgeon, and anesthesiologist, and some nurses. The surgeons speacialty is usually plastic surgery and/or sex reassignment surgery.
(5) All of the auxiliary procedures that you mention are good, but not at the same time. I spread mine out over a few years, having the SRS, a few rounds of facial surgery, extensive hair removal, and some vocal cord surgeries. However, few TS women are indistinguishable from natal women. Some things such as the skeleton remain masculine. There are some women who actually are indistinguishable, but they are in the minority.
(6) The SRS can cost as little as, perhaps, $4500. All of the surgeries, etc., can cost up to $50,000 or so, but few need that much work or can afford it.
(7) Correct--SRS takes time to do correctly.
(8) Transitioning to the gender role of your self-identified gender, as well as surgery, is the only known effective treatment for Gender Dysphoria. It seems more of a need than a want.
Warm hugs,
Kelly
A-1 A-1
