Longitudinal patient-reported outcomes of vaginal dilation after penile inversion vaginoplasty.

BACKGROUND

Penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV) is a commonly performed gender-affirming procedure that requires postoperative dilation to maintain vaginal canal patency.

AIM: To characterize patient-reported dilation experiences and evaluate temporal trends in postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing primary PIV at a single center were prospectively surveyed at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. Surveys were author-developed based on clinical experience and clinical review. Surveys assessed dilation frequency, session duration, depth achieved, and challenges encountered. Univariate analyzes were used to evaluate changes over time.

OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients reporting any dilation-related challenge over time. Secondary outcomes included adherence metrics (frequency, days/week, session duration), depth achieved, and specific challenges.

RESULTS

Seventeen of 27 patients completed all survey time points (63% response rate). On average, participants dilated 6.6 ± 1.4 days/week and 2.4 ± 0.9 times/day; sessions lasted 38.3 ± 16 minutes. Mean depth achieved was 4.05 ± 1.32 (13 cm standardized dilator set), with no significant decline over time. All patients reported at least one difficulty, most commonly tightness (71%), bleeding (71%), pain (65%), discharge (47%), and logistical barriers (24%). The prevalence of reported challenges declined significantly after six months (P < .05).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Early dilation-related difficulties are nearly universal and should be anticipated with proactive counseling and structured postoperative support, though symptoms improve over time.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is the first prospective, longitudinal study of dilation following PIV, using an author-developed survey instrument to capture patient-reported outcomes. Limitations include modest sample size, potential response bias, and lack of assessment of challenge severity.

CONCLUSION

Reported dilation adherence following PIV is high, but most patients experience early challenges that diminish over time, highlighting the need for anticipatory counseling and individualized, symptom-responsive dilation protocols.