Vaginoplasty

Welcome to this section on breast reconstruction. Here you will find all the information and resources necessary to help you on your way to the recovery and reconstruction of your breasts.

We know that a diagnosis of breast cancer and a mastectomy are challenging and emotionally draining experiences. Our goal is to provide you with support, information, and options so you can make informed decisions about your breast reconstruction.

Available Surgical Techniques

1. Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty

This is the most widely used technique worldwide. It involves using the skin of the penis (and in some cases, the scrotum) to create a neovaginal canal, while also reconstructing the labia minora, labia majora, clitoris, and vaginal introitus.

Main steps of the procedure:

Preservation and inversion of the penile skin and prepuce to create the vaginal canal.
Sculpting part of the glans to form the clitoris, maintaining its nerve supply.
Construction of the labia majora using scrotal tissue.
Placement of scrotal skin grafts if additional tissue is needed.
Bilateral orchiectomy (removal of both testicles).

Advantages:

Less invasive than other techniques.
Faster recovery time.
Highly satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes.

Limitations:

Limited vaginal depth in patients with insufficient penile skin.
Spontaneous lubrication is not always achieved.

2. Colovaginoplasty (Vaginoplasty with Sigmoid Colon Graft)

This technique is used when penile inversion vaginoplasty is not feasible (due to lack of available skin, previous surgeries, or explicit patient preference). It involves using a segment of the sigmoid colon to create the neovagina.

Key features:

A segment of the sigmoid colon is resected and connected to the surgically created vaginal introitus.
The colon lining provides a naturally moist and self-lubricating mucosal surface.

Advantages:

Optimal vaginal depth.
Natural, spontaneous lubrication.
Ideal for patients without sufficient genital skin.

Limitations:

More complex surgery.
Longer operating time and hospital stay.
Potential for gastrointestinal complications.

What does facial lipofiling consist of?

Lipofilling / facial lipostructure or facial filler surgery with fat grafting allows us to recover the lost volume in different areas of our faces (cheeks, cheekbones, lips, chin) due to the passage of time, trauma scars or asymmetries. During surgery, fat is extracted by liposuction from a donor area (usually the abdomen), it is processed to purify the fat graft and it is injected in the desired location.
Who is a candidate for facial lipofilling?

Any patient with a facial contour defect, either due to atrophy of fatty tissues due to age, facial trauma or previous surgeries.
Are there any contraindications to perform this intervention?

Tobacco may be a relative contraindication, since tobacco decreases the survival of the fat graft in the recipient area.
Can facial lipofilling be performed in conjunction with another procedure?

Facial lipofilling can be combined with other facial procedures, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) or facelift. It could also be associated with body surgeries.
What can you expect in the postoperative period?

After a facial lipofilling surgery we can wait: - Edema / swelling of the infiltrated area (face) and the donor area (abdomen / flanks / thighs), which usually lasts 7 - 10 days, and which will be mitigated with physical measures (elevated head, local cold, girdle compression abdomen) along with analgesic (pain) and anti-inflammatory medication. - Hematoma / "purple" in the treated areas, which usually disappear after 2 weeks. - Pain / discomfort in the treated areas for the first 5 - 7 days, for which you will receive analgesics.