A Differential Analysis of Preferred Feminine Facial Contours for Transfeminine Individuals.

BACKGROUND: Facial feminization surgeries are important gender-affirming procedures for transfeminine individuals. The literature provides guidance on classically feminine facial features but the aesthetic preferences of transgender patients have not been studied. This study aimed to define the preferred feminine facial proportions of transfeminine patients and compare them to a mixed population of US adults. METHODS: An online survey was designed consisting of virtually modified images with progressive degrees of change in 6 facial features: forehead, nasal dorsum, chin projection, nasolabial angle, mandibular angle, and chin height. It was administered to transfeminine patients in a large-scale health system as well as the general population using an online market research instrument. Respondents ranked each image on a 7-point Likert scale from "very unattractive" to "very attractive" for a feminine face. RESULTS: Both groups agreed that a moderately convex forehead without supraorbital ridge prominence, slightly sloped nasal dorsum, ∼105-degree nasolabial angle, and decreased chin height were considered most attractive. In addition, very concave nasal slope and ∼110-degree nasolabial angle were rated significantly higher by transfeminine respondents compared with controls. The most classically masculine versions of each feature were considered significantly more unattractive by transfeminine patients when compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Transfeminine individuals share significant preferences in feminine facial features with control respondents. However, transfeminine patients were more averse to traditionally masculine features on a feminine face and more accepting of the most traditionally feminine versions of nasal contours. Understanding these differences can facilitate surgical planning between surgeons and patients and potentially improve patient satisfaction.

Gender Affirming Mastectomy Improves Quality of Life in Transmasculine Patients: A Single-center Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of gender-affirming mastectomy on depression, anxiety, and body image. BACKGROUND: There are many cross-sectional and ad-hoc studies demonstrating the benefits of gender-affirming surgery. There are few prospective investigations of patient-reported outcomes in gender-affirming surgery using validated instruments. METHODS: In this prospective study, patients presenting to the University of Michigan for gender-affirming Mastectomy were surveyed preoperatively and 6-months postoperatively. Primary outcomes were patient-reported measurements of anxiety measured by General Anxiety Disorder-7, depression measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-9, body image measured by BODY-Q and Body Image Quality of Life Index, psychosocial and sexual functioning measured by BREAST-Q, and satisfaction with decision measured by BREAST-Q. Linear regression analysis was used to control for presence of complication and existing history of mental health conditions. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients completed the study. The average age of participants was 26.7. The mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score pre-operatively was 7.8 and postoperatively was 5.4 ( P =0.001). The mean preoperative and postoperative General Anxiety Disorder-7 scores were 7.6 and 4.6, respectively ( P <0.001). There were significant improvements in both psychosocial (35 to 79.2, P <0.001) and sexual (33.9 to 67.2, P< 0.001) functioning related to chest appearance as measured by the BREAST-Q and global psychosocial functioning (-15.6 to +32, P <0.001) as measured by the Body Image Quality of Life Index. Satisfaction with chest contour (14.3 to 93.8, P <0.001) and nipple appearance (29.3 to 85.9, P <0.001) measured by the BODY-Q significantly improved. Patients had a mean satisfaction with outcome score of 93.1. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing gender-affirming mastectomy in this single-center prospective study reported significant improvements in anxiety, depression, body image, psychosocial, and sexual functioning after this procedure. Patients were extremely satisfied with the decision to undergo this operation.

Prevalence of Psychosocial Distress in Transmen Seeking Gender-Affirming Mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although the benefits of gender-affirming surgery may be apparent to patients and providers, there remains a paucity of studies assessing the impact of these procedures. As an initial step, preoperative patient-reported outcomes using validated measures of depression, anxiety, and body image were used and compared to cisgender normative data. METHODS: Patients presenting for gender-affirming mastectomy were approached and surveyed using validated instruments measuring anxiety, depression, and body image. In addition, clinical data were collected from the medical record. Results were compared to published instrument norms in the general cisgender population. RESULTS: One hundred three patients completed the preoperative assessment; 70.3 percent and 66.3 percent of the cohort screened positive for mild to severe depression and anxiety, respectively. Only 25 percent and 29.8 percent of the cohort, respectively, had a previous diagnosis of depression and anxiety. The rates of depression and anxiety were significantly higher than those in cisgender normative data [mean Patient Health Questionnaire score, 2.7 (p < 0.0001); mean Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 score, 2.66 (p < 0.0001)]. Body Image Quality of Life Index and BREAST-Q scores were also significantly lower than those in cisgender normative data. CONCLUSIONS: Patients seeking gender-affirming mastectomy have a significant mental health burden that appears to be underdiagnosed. They further have significant challenges with body image compared with cisgender normative data. These findings signify dramatic mental health disparities in the preoperative transgender population and the need for ongoing prospective research of gender-affirming surgery.

Evaluation of BMI as a Risk Factor for Complications following Gender-affirming Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Gender affirmation surgery (GAS) has a positive impact on the health of transgender patients; however, some centers employ body mass index (BMI) as a strict selection criterion for surgical candidacy. Several single-center studies have found no clear correlation between BMI and complication rates. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study at 2 university-based centers to test the null hypothesis: obesity is not a significant determinant of the risk of acute surgical complications in patients undergoing penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV). METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of all adult patients at the University of Michigan and the University of Miami undergoing gender-affirming PIV with minimum follow-up time of 3 months between 1999 and 2017. A logistic regression model of analysis is used to examine the predictive factors for surgical complications and delayed revision urethroplasty in our patient sample. RESULTS: One hundred and one patients met inclusion criteria for this study. The mean BMI at the time of procedure was 26.9kg/m2 (range 17.8-48.2). Seventeen patients (16.8%) had major complications and 36 patients (35.6%) had minor complications. On logistic regression analysis, none of the recorded covariates were significant predictors of delayed revision urethroplasty or major, minor, or any complications. CONCLUSIONS: We found that obese patients can safely undergo GAS and that BMI alone should not preclude appropriately selected patients from undergoing GAS. We acknowledge that selection based on overall health and other medical comorbidities is certainly warranted for gender-affirming PIV and all other surgical procedures.

Trends in Gender-affirming Surgery in Insured Patients in the United States.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 0.6% of the U.S. population identifies as transgender and an increasing number of patients are presenting for gender-related medical and surgical services. Utilization of health care services, especially surgical services, by transgender patients is poorly understood beyond survey-based studies. In this article, our aim is 2-fold; first, we intend to demonstrate the utilization of datasets generated by insurance claims data as a means of analyzing gender-related health services, and second, we use this modality to provide basic demographic, utilization, and outcomes data about the insured transgender population. METHODS: The Truven MarketScan Database, containing data from 2009 to 2015, was utilized, and a sample set was created using the Gender Identity Disorder diagnosis code. Basic demographic information and utilization of gender-affirming procedures was tabulated. RESULTS: We identified 7,905 transgender patients, 1,047 of which underwent surgical procedures from 2009 to 2015. Our demographic results were consistent with previous survey-based studies, suggesting transgender patients are on average young adults (average age = 29.8), and geographically diverse. The most common procedure from 2009 to 2015 was mastectomy. Complications of all gender-affirming procedures was 5.8%, with the highest rate of complications occurring with phalloplasty. There was a marked year-by-year increase in utilization of surgical services. CONCLUSION: Transgender care and gender confirming surgery are an increasing component of health care in the United States. The data contained in existing databases can provide demographic, utilization, and outcomes data relevant to providers caring for the transgender patient population.

Current State of the Surgical Treatment of Terminal Neuromas.

Painful terminal neuromas resulting from nerve injury following amputation are common. However, there is currently no universally accepted gold standard of treatment for this condition. A comprehensive literature review is presented on the treatment of terminal neuromas. Four categories of terminal neuroma surgical procedures are assessed: epineurial closure; nerve transposition with implantation; neurorrhaphy, and alternate target reinnervation. Significant patient and case studies are highlighted in each section, focusing on surgical technique and patient outcome metrics. Studies presented consisted of a PubMed search for "terminal neuromas," without year limitation. The current available research supports the use of implantation into muscle for the surgical treatment of terminal neuromas. However, this technique has several fundamental flaws that limit its utility, as it does not address the underlying physiology behind neuroma formation. Regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces and targeted muscle reinnervation are 2 techniques that seem to offer the most promise in preventing and treating terminal neuroma formation. Both techniques are also capable of generating control signals which can be used for both motor and sensory prosthetic control. Such technology has the potential to lead to the future restoration of lost limb function in amputees. Further clinical research employing larger patient groups with high-quality control groups and reproducible outcome measures is needed to determine the most effective and beneficial surgical treatment for terminal neuromas. Primary focus should be placed on investigating techniques that most closely approximate the theoretically ideal neuroma treatment, including targeted muscle reinnervation and regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces.

Taking a STEP back: Assessing the outcomes of multiple STEP procedures.

PURPOSE: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a highly morbid condition primarily because of parenteral nutrition (PN)-associated complications. Bowel lengthening via serial transverse enteroplasty (STEP) has become standard of care. While initial STEPs have resulted in weaning from PN, outcomes of repeated STEPs (ReSTEPs) are not well described. We investigated outcomes of initial STEP compared to ReSTEP procedures. METHODS: This retrospective review of STEPs included 17 children and a total of 24 procedures. Demographics, complications, hospital readmission rates, postoperative costs, and PN weaning were analyzed. RESULTS: Neither patient-specific data nor the etiology of SBS was predictive of requiring a ReSTEP. PN weaning was more likely in the year following a first STEP (18% wean rate vs. 0% for ReSTEP, p>.05). No ReSTEP patients reached enteral autonomy. Enteral nutrition (%EN) increases were greater after first STEP compared to ReSTEP (26.0% vs. 4.7%, p=0.03). This trend was true for bowel length as well, where first STEPs resulted in a 51% increase in bowel length compared to a 20% increase after in ReSTEP (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: ReSTEPs failed to result in significant PN weaning, with no ReSTEP patients achieving enteral autonomy during follow-up. Given its higher costs, smaller bowel length gains, and limited ability to produce enteral autonomy, surgeons should carefully consider performing ReSTEP procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.