Surgical Outcomes and Patients' Satisfaction with Suprapubic Phalloplasty

INTRODUCTION: Many techniques, specifically forearm free flap phalloplasty, are used in penile reconstructive surgery. Although satisfying, a major disadvantage is the large, stigmatizing scar on the donor site, which leads many patients to explore alternatives. AIM: The aim of this study is to assess the outcomes and satisfaction of patients offered the choice between metaidioplasty, forearm free flap, and suprapubic phalloplasty. METHODS: Medical outcomes from the three-stage surgery were collected from the hospital files of 24 patients, who were also interviewed to assess their satisfaction, sexual function, and psychosexual well-being. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Medical complications, anthropometric measures, and interviewing questionnaire on satisfaction with appearance, sexual function, and psychological variables. RESULTS: Duration of surgery and of hospital stay was relatively short in the first (1 hour 30 minutes; 3 days) and last (1 hour 40 minutes; 3 days) stage of surgery involving tissue expansion and neophallus release. These two stages were associated with few complications (17% and 4% minor complications respectively, 12% additional complications with hospitalization for the first stage). The second stage involving tubing was associated with longer surgery and hospital stay (2 hour 15 minutes; 5 days) and had more complications (54% minor complications and 29% requiring hospitalization) although fewer than one-step surgery. No loss of neophallus was reported. Overall, 95% of patients were satisfied with their choice of phalloplasty, 95% with the appearance, 81% with the length (Mean = 12.83 cm), and 71% with the circumference (Mean = 10.83 cm) of their neophallus. Satisfactory appearance was significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with penile length (r = 0.69) and diameter (r = 0.77). Sexual satisfaction was significantly correlated with penile diameter (r = 0.758), frequency of orgasm (r = 0.71), perceived importance of voiding while standing (r = 0.56), presurgery satisfaction with sexuality (r = 0.58), current masculine-feminine scale (r = 0.58), attractive-unattractive scale (r = 0.69), and happy-depressed scale (r = 0.63). CONCLUSION: Suprapubic phalloplasty, despite the lack of urethroplasty, offers an interesting alternative for patients concerned with the stigmatizing scar on the donor site.