Impact of sex reassignment surgery on lower urinary tract function.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) on lower urinary tract function.


METHODS
A questionnaire concerning voiding habits and lower urinary tract symptoms after sex reassignment surgery, was given to 24 female-to-male transsexuals (FTM) and 31 male-to-female transsexuals (MTF), who respectively underwent phalloplasty and vaginoplasty. For this study only Dutch speaking patients were selected. Also, uro-flowmetry data from 92 FTM transsexuals were reviewed.


RESULTS
In general, no change in voiding patterns was observed. Post-void dribbling was reported by 79% of the FTM transsexuals, and 16% of the MTF group reported some form of incontinence. The uro-flowmetry examination showed a mean, non-significant decrease of 2 ml/s in Q(max) in FTM patients.


CONCLUSIONS
SRS can cause minor changes in urinary habits. Even if they do not result in patients seeking medical help, transsexuals should be warned about these eventual discomforts pre-operatively.
Hoebeke
Piet
P
Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B 9000 Ghent, Belgium. piet.hoebeke@ugent.be
Selvaggi
Gennaro
G
Ceulemans
Peter
P
De Cuypere
Griet
G
T'Sjoen
Guy
G
Weyers
Steven
S
Decaestecker
Karel
K
Monstrey
Stan
S
D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000601:surgery*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013519:Urogenital Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*