Vaginoplasty / Penectomy

Vaginoplasty / Penectomy

(noun)

This is the surgical procedure that converts penile and scrotum tissue into a vagina, clitoris, and labia. It is generally done along with a labiaplasty that gives a more refined appearance to the external genitalia. The two most commonly used surgical techniques are Penile Inversion and Rectosigmoid method, though a third technique, the peritoneum method, is being researched and will likely become more common in the near future.

Content warning for somewhat graphic descriptions:

In penile inversion, the penile tissue is turned inside out to create a vaginal cavity. In rectosigmoid methods, a portion of the sigmoid colon is used to create a vaginal cavity. With the peritoneum method, the peritoneum (a membrane that lines the organ cavity in the abdomen) is used to make the vaginal cavity. All surgical procedures use surrounding tissue to create a functional clitoris, labia majora and labia minora, and come with benefits and risks. But, it should be noted that rectosigmoid methods have a higher risk due to two major surgical sites, and a longer healing time due to this as well, and the peritoneum method is still in development.

e.g. Selena asked a friend to visit her the week following her vaginoplasty.

Further reading to gain expanded context:

Vaginoplasty: Gender Confirmation Surgery | Healthline

Return to the Index.

Back to the Medical Terms Guided Tour.