Care of the Post-vaginoplasty Patient: Management of Complications and Common Gynecologic Issues

Abstract

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the surgical complications associated with penile-inversion vaginoplasty surgery as well as the management required to address these complications. We also review common gynecologic problems after penile-inversion vaginoplasty. Recent Findings: The incidence of reoperation is not low after penile-inversion vaginoplasty with the literature revealing incidence rates as high as 50% in certain cohorts. However, the majority of these reoperations are for cosmesis. Despite these reported complications, most patients "[feel] positive about their genitals" and "would do this operation again" when asked post-operatively. Summary: Overall, penile-inversion vaginoplasty is a safe procedure, albeit with a high incidence of patients undergoing subsequent treatment or surgery. Most complications are considered minor and can be managed in the outpatient setting. Reoperations are mostly revision surgery for cosmesis. It is important to counsel patients pre-operatively about all of the possible complications that may arise after vaginoplasty. All patients should be surgically optimized to reduce these complications.Copyright © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.