Aesthetic Refinement in the Creation of the Clitoris, Its Preputial Hood, and Labia Minora in Male-to-Female Transsexual Patients

Background In male-to-female genital sex reassignment surgery, the clitoris, its prepuce, and the labia minora remain among the most difficult structures to construct. We describe the authors' clitoroplasty and vulvoplasty technique. Methods All patients who underwent male-to-female sex reassignment surgery at a single center, between June 2012 and June 2016, were prospectively included. The standard pedicled island neurovascular flap of the glans penis was harvested in a letter M fashion with attached preputial skin. The central triangle of the M was used for the neoclitoris formation. Labia minora and the clitoral prepuce were created with both legs of the M and the preputial skin attached to it. Tactile and erogenous sensitivity was evaluated. Results Ninety-seven patients were included (mean age, 32 years; range, 17–54 years). All clitoroplasties and vulvoplasties were completed in the same surgical stage as the vaginoplasty. There were no cases of deep or total flap necrosis. Eight patients developed partial and superficial skin necrosis of the flap; one presented an abscess in labia majora, and another patient had urethral hematoma; both required drainage. None of the complications left any sequelae. At 6 months' follow-up all patients maintained tactile and erogenous sensitivity. Conclusions The proposed technique represents an aesthetic refinement of the previously described pedicled glans penis flap by allowing the creation of a sensate neoclitoris, its preputial hood, and labia minora with excellent outcomes in the same surgical stage as the sex reassignment.