Vaginal prolapse: equal opportunity dilemma even for transgendered

I’ll bet that the joys many transgendered women envisioned as they embraced a life more feminine did not include vaginal prolapse. But there it is. Many years after sex reassignment surgery, transsexuals can suffer from prolapse, a condition where muscles in the vaginal wall collapse and surrounding organs fall in.

While the condition is common among women older than 50 who have had children, a recent study discovered that it is also happening to almost 10% of transgendered individuals.

“Professionals who look after transsexual patients should well be aware that this health problem involving bladder, bowel and sexual function as well as quality of life may trouble their patients,” co-author Dr. Annette Kuhn, a gynecologist from University of Berne explained.

“If you think of he vagina like a sock, (prolapse is) like the toe of the sock coming down through the opening,” said Dr. Tyler Muffly, Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Surgery can correct vaginal prolapse. Mesh is placed on the back and front of the vaginal wall and tied to the tail bone to hold the muscles in place. For male to female transgenders, a vagina is created between the rectum and bladder. Many nerves, the sphincter and pelvic floor muscles are at risk. The tissue used to create the vagina is held in place by scar tissue. Sometimes the scar tissue is not strong enough to hold it in place over many years. Also, the vagina is shorter than average and may come under more pressure also threatening its integrity.

There are very few studies on long term health challenges for transsexuals. This is one of the first studies to focus on their condition and the first to look at prolapse.

Source: Reuters