Tilapia Skin for Neovaginoplasty after Sex Reassignment Surgery

ABSTRACT Objective To describe a new technique of neovaginoplasty after a female gender reassignment surgery using a Tilapia fish skin as a graft. Design Stepwise demonstration of a new technique with narrated video of a single case report. The patient has given oral and written informed consent. Moreover, this video report is part of a multicenter, IRB-approved study. Setting A Women´s University Hospital, in Campinas, Brazil. Interventions Neovaginoplasty technique using Tilapia fish skin with key strategies: (1) corpus cavernosum removal; (2) vagina tunnel creation; (3) mold coating with Tilapia fish skin, (4) mold fixation; (5) postoperative care. The patient remained with the mold coated with tilapia fish skin for 5 days, after this time the mold was removed and the tissue graft was adhered and incorporated in the new vaginal canal. After 2 months the tissue resembled a vaginal mucosa and the vaginal length was 8 cm. The patient has not had intercourse yet. Conclusion We introduce an alternative for low morbidity neovaginoplasty based on the experience of plastic surgery in burned grafts. The procedure described offered an alternative option of an anatomic neovagina similar to mucosa tissue, by a means of a simple, low morbidity and minimally invasive procedure.