Risk Factors for Postsurgical Infections in Facial Feminization Surgery

Facial feminization surgical procedures are involving several surgical disciplines in multiple surgical sites and therefore may carry the risk of developing infections. Data on the development of postsurgical infection (PSI) and contributing factors in male-to-female transgender people (transwomen) undergoing facial feminization surgery are scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate the contributing factors to develop PSIs in facial feminization surgical procedures.

Data from the medical records of 40 transwomen who underwent facial feminization surgeries in our institution between 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. The independent variables included demographic parameters (weight, body mass index, medical comorbidities and age), details of the surgical procedure (type, duration and whether another procedure had been performed concomitantly), type, dosage and route of administration of postoperative antibiotics and steroids, length of hospitalization and follow-up duration. Postsurgical infection was designated a dependent variable.

Five out of 40 patients (12.5%) developed PSI. The surgery of those with PSIs involved more sites, and the duration of nasal tamponade was more than four times longer than for patients who did not develop a PSI.

The current study revealed higher postsurgical infections rates after lengthy surgeries or when it involves several surgical facial feminization procedures. Multicenter clinical trial on a big cohort may enable better evidence-based results.

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