Topic: Gender Confirmation Surgery: Risk Factors and Complications

Gender confirmation surgery is safe, effective, and medically necessary. While complications occur, most are self-limited and/or treated with minor surgical revisions. This Special Issue will explore common pre-operative risk factors, such as smoking and obesity, as well as strategies to mitigate potential risk factors and to optimize surgical outcomes.

In addition, as the heterogeneous nature of gender identity has become more evident, requests for newer and additional surgical procedures have also increased. As our knowledge of the spectrum and diversity of identities evolves, our surgical indications and techniques also should evolve correspondingly. This Special Issue will explore some of the more recent surgical requests, such as penile-preserving vaginoplasty, and discuss both the rationale as well as the technical components of these procedures.

As both the number of requests for gender confirmation surgery and the number of surgeons performing gender confirmation surgery have expanded across the globe, the requests for secondary and/or revision procedures have also increased. These requests may range from rather minor interventions to more significant requests for "reversal" procedures. Surgeons, and our patients, seek guidance as to how to best proceed in these circumstances. This Special Issue will provide context and guidance so as to assist surgeons in managing some of the most common (albeit rare) clinical scenarios.

Surgical management of gender incongruence and gender dysphoria continues to advance, and it is imperative that surgeons understand and appreciate the patients' goals, expectations, and outcomes. In view of this, we assembled an internationally-recognized group of experts to help discuss these complex issues.  

We hope that you will find this Special Issue an important addition to your library.

30 Sep 2021