Gender-Affirming Surgical Care

Abstract

An increasing proportion of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals are pursuing gender-affirming surgery (GAS), but surgery in the TGD youth population remains controversial. Differing opinions among providers and advocates add to the complexities of surgical decision-making. Evaluating patient candidacy is a shared responsibility of the entire multidisciplinary team. Primary care and mental health providers play a critical role in educating their patients and referring appropriate individuals to surgeons for more rigorous evaluation of their candidacy for GAS. There is no discrete algorithm that can determine which patients should proceed with surgery. The needs and goals of each patient must be weighed alongside a number of other considerations, including patient age, medical and psychological history, type of surgery requested, lifestyle factors, social support, and resources. Above all, the decision to proceed with surgical care must involve shared decision-making among the patient and all members of their care team. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)