Reliability of suprapubic pedicled phalloplasty to address genital gender-affirming surgery in transgender men: A single-center cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND

Over the years, numerous techniques have been used to address genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS) in transgender men. Among the proposed surgical options to address TPC in transgender men, suprapubic pedicled phalloplasty (SPP) has rarely been considered in the current scientific literature.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study is to report the surgical outcomes of the first step of suprapubic pedicled phalloplasty (SPP)-with or without urethral lengthening (UL)-evaluating possible risk factors affecting the incidence of complications.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a retrospective, single-center analysis at a regional tertiary referral center. Between April 2006 and August 2024, 40 transgender men underwent GGAS at our center. GGAS was conducted as a multistage procedure, consisting of (1) SPP (2) eventual radial artery-based forearm free-flap urethroplasty, (3) glans sculpting, join-up, vaginectomy and scrotoplasty, and (4) penile prosthesis implantation. Surgery time, intra- and postoperative complications, and hospital stay were selected as variables for surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

The median operative time was 130 min (111-158 min). Partial necrosis of the phallus was detected in 4 cases (10.5%) it was easily managed through a minor outpatient procedure. The median length loss after debridement was 1.3 cm (0.5-2 cm), without significant impact on the final length. A total loss of the neophallus occurred in a single case (2.5%) and required a staged salvage TPC. In the present series, only 14 patients (35%) opted for urethral reconstruction: 8 (20%) required a perineostomy, 4 (10%) underwent radial artery urethroplasty (RAU), while the remaining 5% required an additional metoidioplasty with urethral lengthening, ensuring that the clitoris was not incorporated into the neophallus during penile construction. Univariate and multivariate analyses failed to highlight any possible risk factors influencing the incidence of postoperative complications. The lack of a comparison group or randomization, the limited follow-up, and the absence of patient-reported outcome analysis are the main limitations of our study.

CONCLUSION

Our evidence suggests that SPP is a reliable and technically accessible option for GGAS in transgender men, particularly when microsurgery is contraindicated. The technique offers the advantage of accommodating the patient's needs for urethral lengthening, simplifying the surgical process, and reducing operative times. While vascular complications may occur relatively frequently, they are mostly minor and can be managed with simple outpatient procedures.