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Objective To measure spermatogenesis abnormalities in transwomen at the time of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) and to analyze the association between hormonal therapy duration and infertility severity. Design Retrospective study. Setting University hospital. Patients One-hundred seventy-three transwomen who underwent SRS from January 2000 to December 2015. Interventions All orchidectomy specimens were retrospectively reviewed and classified. History of hormonal therapy duration was retrieved from medical records. Main Outcome Measures Histological examinations of orchidectomy specimens were performed to assess spermatogenesis. Results One-hundred seventy-three orchidectomy specimens were evaluated. Histological examinations showed maturation arrest in 36.4%, hypospermatogenesis in 26%, Sertoli cell-only syndrome in 20.2%, normal spermatogenesis in 11%, and seminiferous tubule hyalinization in 6.4% of the specimens. Spermatogenesis abnormality severity was not associated with the total therapy duration (P = 0.81) or patient age at the time of surgery (P = 0.88). Testicular volumes and sizes were associated with spermatogenesis abnormality severity (P = 0.001 and P = 0.026, right testicle and left testicle, resp.). Conclusion(s) Feminizing hormonal treatment leads to reductions in testicular germ cell levels. All transwomen should be warned about this consequence, and gamete preservation should be offered before starting hormonal treatment.

We introduce this novel silk sericin-releasing wound dressing as an alternative treatment for split-thickness skin graft donor sites.

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We developed the novel silk fibroin-based bilayered wound dressing for the treatment of partial thickness wounds. And it showed relevant characteristics and accelerated the healing of full-thickness wounds in a rat model. This study is the clinical evaluation of the bilayered wound dressing to confirm its safety and efficacy for the treatment of split-thickness skin donor sites. The safety test was performed using a patch model and no evidence of marked and severe cutaneous reactions was found. The efficacy test of the bilayered wound dressing was conducted on 23 patients with 30 split-thickness skin graft donor sites to evaluate healing time, pain score, skin barrier function, and systemic reaction in comparison to Bactigras. We found that the healing time of donor site wounds treated with the bilayered wound dressing (11 ± 6 days) was significantly faster than those treated with Bactigras (14 ± 6 days) (p = 10−6). The wound sites treated with the bilayered wound dressing showed significantly less pain and more rapid skin functional barrier recovery than those treated with Bactigras (p = 10−5). Therefore, these results confirmed the clinical safety and efficacy of the bilayered wound dressing for the treatment of split-thickness skin graft donor sites.

BackgroundDonor site seroma is the most common complication after latissimus dorsi (LD) flap harvest. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in preventing donor site seroma formation after the harvest of an LD flap for breast reconstruction. MethodsIn this prospective matched-pair study, 40 patients in whom an LD flap was harvested for breast reconstruction were enrolled. NPWT was used in 20 patients, and in a control group composed of another 20 patients, the conventional donor site dressing technique was used. Information was collected regarding postoperative complications, the incidence of seroma, total drainage volume, the number of percutaneous seroma aspirations, and the volume aspirated. ResultsIn the NPWT group, the incidence of seroma formation after drain removal was significantly lower than in the control group (15% vs. 70%; odds ratio=0.07; relative risk, 0.24). Both the mean percutaneous aspirated volume (P=0.004) and the number of percutaneous aspirations (P=0.001) were also significantly lower in the NPWT group. There were no significant differences in the total drainage volume or the duration of wound drainage between the NPWT dressing group and the control group (P>0.05). ConclusionsThis study showed that NPWT is a promising tool for reducing the incidence of seroma formation after removing the drain at the donor site after LD flap harvesting. It is a simple and safe technique.

This paper reviews the development of gender reassignment in Thailand during the period of 1975–2012, in terms of social attitude, epidemiology, surgical patients' profile, law and regulation, religion, and patients' path from psychiatric assessment to surgery. Thailand healthcare for transsexual patients is described. Figures related to the number of sex reassignment surgeries performed in Thailand over the past 30 years are reported. Transsexual individuals are only apparently integrated within the Thail society: the law system of Thailand in fact, does not guarantee to transsexuals the same rights as in other Western countries; the governmental healthcare does not offer free treatments for transsexual patients. In favor of the transsexual healthcare, instead, the Medical Council of Thailand recently published a policy entitled “Criteria for the treatment of sex change, Census 2009.” The goal of this policy was to improve the care of transsexual patients in Thailand, by implementing the Standards of Care of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. Currently, in Thailand, there are 6 major private groups performing sex reassignment surgery, and mostly performing surgery to patients coming from abroad. Particularly, the largest of these (Preecha's group) has performed nearly 3000 vaginoplasties for male-to-female transsexuals in the last 30 years.

Background: Injection of alloplastic material underneath the penile skin for penile augmentation causes many complications such as inflammation, infection, ulceration, and pain during sexual activity. One of the treatments for complications after these penile augmentation procedures is surgical excision of the foreign body granuloma followed by penile skin coverage with bilateral scrotal flaps. There are no prior prospective studies published about anatomical and functional outcomes. Objective: To study the anatomical and functional outcome of one-stage bilateral scrotal flap reconstruction in patients after surgical removal of paraffinoma from penile shafts. Methods: Patients who suffered from complications of penile foreign body granuloma were treated by surgical excision and reconstruction with bilateral scrotal flaps. The penile lengths and circumferences when flaccid and erect were recorded preoperatively and postoperatively. The patients were interviewed using questionnaires and satisfaction scored to determine their sexual experiences were recorded before and after surgery. Results: Thirteen patients were enrolled in this study. The mean follow-up time was 23.5 (11.5-40.5) weeks. The mean erectile length and the maximal circumference were 11.8 (9-15) cm, 14.5 (11.5-17) cm preoperatively, and 11.7 (10-14) cm, 11.8 (10-13) cm postoperatively. Satisfaction scores of sexual activity is 6.84 (0-9) preoperatively, and 8.38 (5-10) postoperatively. Conclusion: One-stage bilateral scrotal flap coverage is a good option for penile skin reconstruction. This technique can achieve satisfactory results both anatomically and functionally.