At One Facility, Transgender Surgery is Back in Business

Transgender surgery is back in business–at least at the Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery and Crozer-Keystone's Delaware County Memorial Hospital. Patients and physicians are eager to move ahead with the variety of face, chest and genital procedures, which had to be postponed during the pandemic, classified as elective despite their significance to some individuals' transitions. Though certain aspects of care have been maintained through telehealth consultations and evaluations, for many transgender patients, comfort in their skin and overall wellness depend on in-person interaction with a surgeon.

"There's a lot of relief being back in the operating room helping patients, so many of whom have already had to wait their lifetime to be able to have these procedures," explains transgender surgery pioneer Dr. Sherman Leis. "We're doing our best to accommodate everyone, from rescheduling, meeting virtually when possible, and even adding appointments on Saturdays, which has taken some further coordination with the hospital. The goal is being able to provide the highest quality of care."

In addition to Leis's commitment to his patients, he is also returning to Crozer-Keystone's Delaware County Memorial Hospital to lead the next generation of transgender surgeons as the head of one of the few transgender surgery fellowship programs in the United States. July 2020 marks the official start for the first Fellow, Dr. Jude Opoku-Agyeman, who has previously worked with Dr. Leis as a top Resident and is familiar with how these surgeries can impact someone's whole life.

Unfortunately, the transgender community continues an uphill battle to ensure access to health services throughout the nation. Last month, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the University of Maryland Medical System and affiliate St. Joseph Medical Center for allegedly refusing to provide care to a transgender man.

The plaintiff, Jesse Hammons, claims the Catholic hospital canceled his hysterectomy a week before the surgery date.

"The hospital will perform hysterectomies for everyone else, but they did not think that my life, as a man who is transgender, is equally worthy of protection," Hammons said according to a statement in the Baltimore Business Journal. "While no one should be turned away from health care because of who they are, the fact that this institution is part of the University of Maryland Medical System makes it particularly painful."

With accessibility to healthcare often uncertain for transgender patients, in addition to the roughly 25 percent of patients who have reported experiencing discrimination when visiting a doctor or clinic, the return to surgery also highlights essential steps in specialized education that are essential to mastery of technique and sensitivity to care protocols. In these ways, transgender healthcare overall can continue to improve.

"Often, the best treatment options for our patients include developing resources and relationships that strengthen their network of care," notes Dr. Leis. "It wasn't long ago I struggled to find a hospital that would allow me to perform surgery for a transgender patient, and now we're in a place where we can keep forging new and better ways to ensure all patients have the medical support they need. We're so glad to be able to return to the operating room to do our part."