Total laparoscopic hysterectomy for female-to-male transsexuals

To compare the results of laparoscopic hysterectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, and incidental appendectomy for female-to-male transsexuals with those of female patients.

Retrospective chart abstraction of all patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and appendectomy since September 1996. Significance from analysis of covariance or chi2 was set at .05.

Five hundred ninety-three patients underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and appendectomy. Forty-one were identified as transsexual, 552 as females. The transsexuals were significantly younger (mean 32 years compared with 51 years, median 32 years compared with 49 years, P<.001), with lower parity (mean 0.05 pregnancies compared with 1.34 pregnancies, median 0 pregnancies compared with 1 pregnancy, P<.001), yet had similar body mass index and height. Transsexuals' surgeries had shorter operating times (mean 74 minutes compared with 120 minutes, median 57.5 minutes compared with 116 minutes, P<.001), with less blood loss (mean 27 mL compared with 107 mL, median 20 mL compared with 50 mL, P<.001) and lower uterine weight (mean 118 g compared with 167 g, median 89 g compared with 140.5 g, P<.001). The total complication rates (12.2% compared with 8.3%), as well as the reoperative complication rates (4.9% compared with 4.3%) were not significantly different.

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy offers appropriate surgical outcomes for those patients identifying themselves as transsexual.