The Transgender Dictionary
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Surgeons

(also: surgery)

Table of Contents

Introduction

This page is intended to provide miscellaneous information for various things related to surgeons and surgery. For information on specific surgeries relating to to transgender topics, simply navigate via the hyperlinks either throughout the dictionary portion of this website, or below in the section regarding different types of surgeon. This website may also contain miscellaneous information regarding certain surgical procedures that are not yet commonly available, resources regarding financing transgender operations, and information regarding anesthesia.

Most of the pages on this site should have relevant links at the bottom of the page with sources, and ways to find additional information relevant to the surgery discussed on that individual page. This page is for miscellaneous information, or information that applies to multiple different types of surgeries.

General Information

There are various terms used in the transgender community regarding different types of surgery. "Bottom surgery" or "lower surgery" commonly refers to surgeries that have to do with genitalia. "Top surgery" commonly refers to surgeries that have to do with the chest.

Not everyone has the most conventional or common types of surgical gender transition. Nullification refers to having certain "removal" type surgeries without having a "replacement" type surgery. Salmacian typically refers to having a desire to obtain an unconventional genital set.

Neither this page, nor the individual pages dedicated to discussing particular surgeries will contain all possible information on the surgeries discussed. If you are planning on getting any kind of surgery in the future (transgender related or not) always be sure to do your research. I am not a medical professional.

Unfortunately, there is transphobia in the medical world. There are surgeons who specifically seek out transgender patients to give them "botch jobs" deliberately. (John Ronald Brown is quite infamous for going out of his way to do botch jobs on transgender women.) Make sure to look up the name of your surgeon ahead of time, and look for reviews and photos from people who have actually gotten that surgery from that surgeon. Even if the surgeon is listed on a resource that can be found through this website, still do independant research on your surgeon. Due in part to this, there is a lot of fearmongering in relation to the quality of transgender surgeries, and what the outcomes of these surgeries typically look like. If you are considering getting surgery of any kind, it is a good idea to look at healed results from your surgeon of choice (it is rare that any surgery, gender-related or not, looks perfect immedeatly after getting it). All surgeries require some period of rest and healing.

There is also often a lot of transphobia in the form of medical gatekeeping. Sometimes it can take a very long time for a transgender person to obtain the surgeries that they desire. In some places, a patient is required to attend therapy and recieve multiple letters of recommendation and multiple gender dysphoria diagnoses to have certain surgeries. The exact requirements will vary.

Types of Surgeons

There are many types of surgeons trained to deal with the multitude of matters regarding the complexities of the human bodies. Many surgeons will diagnose patient issues themselves, or patients may be referred to see a relevant doctor regarding their condition.

Anesthesia

Click here to be redirected to the new page dedicated to the topic of Anesthesia.

Inpatient Vs Outpatient

The terms "inpatient" and "outpatient" get thrown around a lot in regards to surgery, but what do these terms mean? Simply put an "inpatient" procedure requires that the patient stays overnight at the medical facility where the surgical procedure took place. The number of days a patient stays at the hospital during an inpatient procedure depends on the procedure. An "outpatient" procedure is a procedure where the patient is at the medical facility for less than a day. The length of time spent at the medical facility during an outpatent procedure will vary depending on the surgical procedure.

Endoscope

Endoscopes are long, flexible tubes with a camera and light source on the tip. The camera transmits a live video feed to a monitor that can be viewed by the physician in real time. "Endoscope" itself is a broad term used to refer to a variety of similar medical devices used for a broad range of procedures; including diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical applications. Endoscopes can be used to view inside the body through either small incisions or through natural openings of the body.

Different types of endoscopes include the following.

Laparascope

A laparascope is a type of endoscope that is designed to be used during minimally invasive surgeries known as laparoscopic surgeries. These rigid or semi-rigid devices are used primarily to view and access the pelvic and abdominal cavities. They are used during procedures such as appendectomies, hysterectomies, hernia repairs, cholecystectomies, and vaginectomies. Laparascopes are designed to be durable and withstand high temperature environments and sterilization proccesses necessary for surgical environments. They typically have more advanced camera systems than typical endoscopes.

Laprascopic surgeries are often have the option of being "robot-assisted." This means that the surgery is performed by a robotic device that is controlled by the surgeon. Surgeries that are robot-assisted typically take longer than the versions simply performed by a surgeon.

Urinary Catheters

A urinary catheter is a hollow, semiflexible tube that collects urine from the bladder into a drainage bag that has to be emptied every few hours. Urinary catheters can be made out of rubber, plastic (PVC), or silicone. Catheters are necessary in situations where the patient is unable to empty their own bladder. If someone is unable to empty their bladder, this can lead to pressure in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure, which can lead to permanent damage to the kidneys.

Indwelling catheters (also known as Foley catheters or urethral catheters) can be used for long-term or short-term. A nurse inserts this catheter into the bladder through the urethra (with a variation known as a suprapubic catheter, the catheter is inserted through a tiny hole in the abdomen). A tiny balloon at the end of the catheter is inflated with water to prevent the catheter from sliding out of the body. The balloon is deflated when the catheter has to be removed.

External catheters (also known as condom catheters) are typically necessary for people with penises who do not have health problems, but have serious functional or mental disabilities, such as dementia. A device resembling a condom covers the head of the penis, with a tube leading from the condom-like device into a drainage bag. These catheters typically need to be changed daily, but some brands are designed for long-term use. External catheters are typically more comfortable and have a lower risk of infection when compared to indwelling catheters.

Short-term catheters (also known as intermittent catheters) are typically only used for a short period of time after a surgery until the bladder empties. In a home setting, patients can be taught how to apply these catheters, either with help or by themselves.

Australia-Based Resources

United Kingdom-Based Resources

United States-Based Additional Resources

Find Surgeons & Learn More About Surgery

Bad Experiences

For lack of a better location on this site for posting bad experiences with particular surgeons, here you go. (Obviously this is not every bad surgeon that exists, but it contains some bad experiences as I come across them, or as they are submitted to be added. Like mentioned previously, always do research on whatever surgeon that you end up going to, even if they are mentioned elsewhere on this website in a positive manner. Always be careful with who handles your body in any context.)