Telemedicine for Gender-Affirming Medical and Surgical Care: A Systematic Review and Call-to-Action.

Telemedicine has facilitated the delivery of affordable and accessible health care. However, little has been discussed about its use in gender-affirming care (GAC). Telemedicine has the potential to overcome many barriers encountered by transgender individuals such as limited geographic access to care and financial constraints, which have both been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine may also enhance opportunities for training in gender-affirming surgery. A systematic review of the literature on telehealth and GAC was performed. Identified uses of telehealth included: an electronic teleconsultation service, a virtual peer health consultation service, and an open online course on LGBT+ rights and health care for health care providers and laypeople. As the medical and health care communities adjust to the new reality of health care, efforts should be made to effectively incorporate telemedicine into GAC.

Ethical and Legal Considerations Regarding Parenthood in Transgender Patients Following Uterine Transplant.

In modern society, acceptance of gender diversity and fluidity is increasing; however, parenthood is still largely considered to be a binary construct. A hypothetical case of a transgender woman who undergoes uterus transplant and carries a pregnancy conceived with her own sperm is presented. This situation raises unique ethical and legal issues regarding the parental designation of the transgender woman. Parallels can be drawn to the real-life examples of transgender men who have given birth and desire legal recognition as their child's father. Should "motherhood" and "fatherhood" be based on parental genetic contribution to the child? Should these labels be based on who has carried and gave birth to the child? Or have we reached a time where these titles no longer serve a constructive purpose? Here, we investigated these considerations regarding parenthood designation in the context of rapidly evolving gender constructs and surgical reproductive options.

Considerations for resuming global surgery outreach programs during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has disrupted the delivery of safe surgical care worldwide. One specific aspect of global surgical care that has been severely limited is the ability for physicians and trainees to participate in global surgical outreach programs in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: A narrative review of the literature regarding global surgical outreach programs during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was performed. Factors that must be considered in the reinstatement of global surgical outreach programs were identified, and suggestions to address them were provided based on the available literature and the experiences of the senior authors. RESULTS: As global surgical outreach programs were canceled at the start of the pandemic, many academic surgeons turned to digital solutions to continue to engage with low- and middle-income country partners. With the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines and improved access to testing and treatment worldwide, the recommencement of global surgical outreach programs may begin to be considered. Important considerations before initiation include vaccine and testing availability for visiting providers, local staff, and patients, local hospital capacity, staff and equipment shortages, and the characteristics of the patient population and visiting providers. Region- and country-specific factors, including local infection rates and concomitant health crises, must also be taken into account. Expansion of digital collaborative efforts may further deepen international connections and promote sustainable models of care. CONCLUSION: With careful consideration, global surgical outreach programs may begin to be safely restarted in the near future. The current article evaluates individual factors that must be considered to safely restart global surgical outreach programs as the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is better controlled.

Kiteboarding Induced Abdominal Wall Pain: Intercostal Neuroma versus Anterior Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment (ACNES).

Abdominal wall pain can be challenging to diagnose and treat, as many etiologies can have similar presentations. Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome has been reported to be a significant cause of AWP. Here, we report the case of a patient who was initially diagnosed with anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome and ultimately found to have intercostal neuromas-in-continuity. The patient was a healthy 36-year-old man who presented with debilitating, chronic abdominal wall pain. The pain began after a time period when the patient was regularly kiteboarding, and it impacted the ability to exercise and perform activities of daily living. The patient had undergone extensive testing and attempted many treatments, including medication, nerve blocks, and anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome surgery. Examination was significant for 2 near-symmetric areas that were persistently tender to palpation in the subcostal abdomen. The patient underwent excision and reconstruction with two 2-cm segments of processed nerve allograft. At 1-year follow-up, the patient reported complete alleviation of the pain, discontinuation of pain medication, and a return to all normal activities. While managing patients with abdominal wall pain, physicians must consider neuroma in their differential diagnoses and be aware of its treatment options, as the patient underwent a substantial delay in treatment. Kiteboarding is a unique mechanism of peripheral nerve injury that has not been previously reported in the literature. This report demonstrates the efficacy of processed nerve allograft in the management of neuromas-in-continuity of the abdominal wall, as well as the importance of being aware of unusual manners of nerve injury.