AAFPRS026 - Scarless Transvestibular Feminizing Chondrolaryngoplasty in 54 Patients
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
2:25 PM – 2:30 PM CT
Location: Landmark D
Michael Eggerstedt, MD; Justine C. Lee, MD, PhD; Abie H. Mendelsohn MD, FACS
Section of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Eggerstedt)
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Lee)
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA (Mendelsohn)
Background: Chondrolaryngoplasty (CLP), or tracheal shave, provides a feminine neck contour and is a critical component of gender affirming care. While CLP increases quality of life for transgender patients, traditional transcervical approaches require patients to accept cutaneous scarring, which risks undermining the efforts of gender affirmation.
Learning Objectives: The authors plan to present intraoperative videos, which will assist in demonstrating a thorough understanding of equipment requirements, technical nuances, and performance of this novel approach.
Study Objectives: We designed and implemented a transoral approach to maximize gender affirming surgical outcomes. Robust clinical experience of a scarless transvestibular endoscopic CLP approach has yet to be described.
Design Type: Case series
Methods: 54 transgender patients underwent a novel technique for scarless CLP by a single surgeon between 10/2019-10/2021. Results: Patients held a median age of 29 years (range, 18-59). Endoscopic CLP was performed as a standalone surgery in 29.6%, combined with facial feminization surgery in 64.8% of the cases, and with other surgeries in 5.4%. Preferred pronouns were she/her in 90.7% and gender neutral they/them in 9.3% of the cases. Two major and two minor complications were encountered, all of which were limited to within the first 18 cases performed. Three patients requested revision CLP and all were limited to the first 25 cases performed. Patient-reported outcome data is being collected and will be included in the scientific presentation, along with pre/post patient photographs.
Conclusion: The authors believe that in its current iteration, this technique is well-within the FPRS surgical skillset and is readily adoptable.