Anesthesia for gender-affirming surgery: a practical review

Abstract

Purpose of review Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is an effective, well studied, and often necessary component of gender-affirming care and mitigation of gender dysphoria for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals. GAS is categorized as chest surgeries, genitourinary surgeries, facial feminization/masculinization, and vocal phonosurgery. Despite increased incidence of GAS during recent years, there is a gap in knowledge and training on perioperative care for TGD patients. Recent findings Our review discusses the relevant anesthetic considerations for the most common GAS, which often involve highly specialized surgical techniques that have unique implications for the anesthesia professional. Summary Anesthesiology professionals must attend to the surgical and anesthetic nuances of various GAS procedures. However, as many considerations are based on common practice, research is warranted on anesthetic implications and outcomes of GAS.