Role of allogeneic placental tissues in penile inversion vaginoplasty

The role of allogeneic placental tissue (APT) in genital gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is not well understood. Penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV), the most common genital GAS, often results in tissue healing- or wound-related complications, including scarring and neovaginal stenosis. Surgical reoperation and revision vaginoplasty are common. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of APT to postoperative outcomes in PIV.

The authors performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive adult patients undergoing primary PIV during a 6-year period (September 1, 2014 to September 1, 2020). Subjects receiving intraoperative application of an APT biomaterial were compared to those undergoing primary PIV without APT. Postoperative outcomes-including wound healing morbidity and reoperation-were compared between groups. Short- and long-term complications were classified using Clavien-Dindo.

A total of 182 primary PIV cases were reviewed (115 conventional PIV; 67 PIV-APT). The postoperative follow-up time for the population averaged 12.7 months. All-cause and wound related complications were significantly lower amongst PIV-APT patients when compared to conventional PIV (P=0.002 and P=0.004, respectively). The rate of long-term complications was significantly lower in PIV-APT subjects: prolonged pain (P=0.001), prolonged swelling (P=0.047), and neovaginal stenosis (P<0.001). The PIV-APT group required significantly less reoperation for vaginal depth enhancement (P=0.007).

Though its use in urogenital reconstruction has been limited, this study indicates that the placement of APT during PIV significantly lowered the risk of complications associated with poor wound healing. This supports a novel use for placental tissues in reducing complications in genital GAS.