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Chapter 16 - Vaginal Dilators and Dilating after Vaginoplasty

from Section B - Practicing Transgynecology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2022

By
Rixt AC Luikenaar ,
Richard A. Santucci  and
Ashley N. DeLeon
Edited by
Mick van Trotsenburg ,
Rixt A. C. Luikenaar  and
Maria Cristina Meriggiola
Mick van Trotsenburg
Affiliation:
Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität, Wien
Rixt A. C. Luikenaar
Affiliation:
Rebirth Health Center, Utah
Maria Cristina Meriggiola
Affiliation:
Università di Bologna
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Summary

Dilators, stents, trainers, or probes utilized after gender affirmation surgery need to be rigid, non-porous, easy to clean plastic or glass devices and are used to keep the vaginal canal open after surgical creation of a neovagina. Dilators have been used within the specialty of gynecology for several conditions including vaginal agenesis, iatrogenic stenosis, vulvovaginal inflammatory conditions, vaginismus, and post-surgical stenosis. Transgender people who undergo genital gender-confirming surgery, specifically vaginoplasty, are required to dilate to maintain an open vaginal canal after surgery and prevent stenosis. Gynecologists often have had little training on how to guide patients through this therapy. It is common to seek care from a local reproductive healthcare professional after vaginoplasty, as patients frequently must travel for surgery and return home for long-term recovery. This illustrates a growing need for gynecologists to familiarize themselves with the post-operative care of transgender patients after vaginoplasty.

Type
Chapter
Information
Context, Principles and Practice of TransGynecology
Managing Transgender Patients in ObGyn Practice
 , pp. 119 - 129
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

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