Ah, yes I did, Anon! Thanks so much for reminding me! I’ve actually had these answers for the past week, but wanted to wait until the hatemail situation settled down a little first. (Which it has, by now. Woohoo!) 😀
1.) Does Dr. Crane now require a hysterectomy before he’ll do a phalloplasty?
Answer: A hysterectomy is not required IF a patient specifically refuses a vaginectomy for the procedure.
So, what I asked to have done in 2015 (phalloplasty with urethral lengthening, no vaginectomy, no scrotoplasty) is still possible– you just have to be clear about this during your consultation.
Though just a note about complications when you request that particular combo: Spot ended up having three strictures in a row over the next couple years, solved by a replacement urethroplasty with a buccal (inside the mouth) skin graft. The surgeon team can’t really be blamed for giving me a much rosier-looking 30% chance of complications estimate in 2014, as there weren’t as many phalloplasties like mine that had been done by that team. The probability of complications is a little more well-documented now.
During my replacement urethroplasty, my surgeon at the University of Minnesota mentioned it’s looking more like about a 50% chance of developing a stricture or fistula after a phalloplasty, if there’s no vaginectomy done. A fifty-fifty chance is… daunting, to be sure, though I’m still glad I decided to go the path I did.
2.) What was your weight when you had phalloplasty? Will surgeons not do a phalloplasty if you’re overweight?
Answer: I was 155lbs when I had my July 2014 consultation, but gained weight very rapidly over that next year due to my then-untreated alcoholism. I was up to a little over 180lbs at my June 2015 phalloplasty.
There was some debate when I showed up over whether the phallo could still be done, but the surgeon team determined I was within reasonable limits, and we went ahead as scheduled.
I’ve heard Dr. Crane’s office has become more strict about weight limits since then, to avoid an increased risk of complications.
I was told in my phone call last week that weight limits are generally determined by one’s BMI, but that an in-person consultation (like the one I got in 2014, and again right before the surgery in 2015) is usually necessary to tell whether someone would be a good candidate for a particular phallo procedure or not. Judging whether a phalloplasty would be successful relies a lot on where the fat is distributed along the body. That can vary quite a lot between individuals, especially if the patient wants the skin used to build the phallus to come from the ALT (thigh) region.
Thanks to the folks who sent me these Asks for being so patient! It may take me a while, but I do my best to get to everyone’s questions eventually. :3
Chinchilla Meat 