Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I should probably make an introductory post but I did join this forum for more or less this purpose...

I am trying to get phalloplasty in the US (since I live here and have insurance here) and having done my research into available techniques I am most interested in abdominal phallo with UL graft taken from the forearm so there is a possibility (50%) of nerve hookup. The London Team does this... but seemingly no one in the US does.

And I seem to be having trouble with maintaining contact on any promising leads- I was talking to one who was going to study with the London Team and said they would get back to me once they got back and I got the date the expected to return and I sent an email around that date, their contact said they'd speak to the surgeon... and now months later I've heard nothing. I tried to reach out to another surgeon but they said they didn't know much about that technique but heard that the original surgeon I was speaking to had studied in London and referred me back to him but still no word.

I've even tried to find out the costs if I paid out of pocket to the London Team for the UL and nerve hookup but got the rest covered here under insurance but I have no idea if I absolutely must go through the NHS and there's simply no way...

I'm feeling really boxed into RFF but I also really don't want to deal with grafts and would prefer direct closure. I also looked into ALT with pre-expansion but the only surgeon I've found that does that is also European and has a 5 year waiting list.

Genital surgery is forever so I want to get what I want but I have no idea how to go about finding someone who does any of these techniques when no surgeons will answer the simple question of "hey can you do this?" and I can't afford hundreds of dollars to fly around the country paying for consults just to be told "no, we don't even do that here". Plus, I'm not even sure if that would work because in my last email I did say I was interested in a consultation but I still got no response.

Does anyone have any advice for getting this technique done either in the US or as a revision for UL and nerve hookup in London as a foreigner?

Pardon me if you said this and I just missed it but have you tried contacting the London team and asking them if they know of a surgeon here in the states that can perform this technique? And out of curiosity is there a particular reason why you want abdominal? I don't know much about it myself and I am going for ALT but I like to be knowledgeable.

I did try to send an email to the London Team but I never received a reply to that email either, though, in that particuar case I am not entirely sure I had the correct point of contact as most websites reasonably assume you are a UK citizen going through the NHS and direct you to contact a Gender Clinic. If anyone has an email they know they can be reached at I would certainly be grateful.

My preference for Abdominal Phallo is that I prefer a pedicaled technique as the risk is less for flap failure and it doesn't require a graft- you get direct site closure. They also tend to result in a shorter but girthy phallus and my fave packer is 4.5" and decently thick (I think I'd want an extra half inch on my actual penis, tho), also, depending on how the surgeon cuts the flap I am the least hairy in that area so less electrolysis. Beyond that, I simply prefer the look, I found in perusing transbucket and similar sites that everytime I thought, "damn that looks amazing" it was ab-flap. But my number one goal is avoiding a graft scar which is why a pre-expansion ALT would be an acceptable second-best.

I've also heard of MLD butI've heard the nerve they take is a motor nerve so sensation isn't great while with ab-flap w nerve hookup I've heard how good sensation is (they do take the same nerve as RFF if they can find it). Also, the idea of taking a piece of my muscle and re-purposing it does not really appeal. I like going to the gym and I think all of my muscles should stay where they're at.

Well, I got a response from St. Peter's when I initially asked if they accept foreign patients asking what procedure I wanted done so they could connect me to the right doctors I responded and haven't heard anything since. I know they must be busy and it hasn't been too long since I sent my reply but since every surgeon I contact seems to stop speaking at some point I'm predicting something similar.
Idk if maybe my therapist should reach out on my behalf?

Give them around a week to respond to an email and if you hear nothing then give them a nudge asking what is up or if the doctor has looked over whatever you were asking at the time. I would not get the therapist involved or else you will be trying to talk through a third party and then the communication will take even longer. Only thing you need from the therapist is the letter when the surgeon asks for it.

I got another response today so, so far so good... but a consultation with their teams is over $2000 USD. That's not counting what it would take to get myself to London. I might just try to confirm whether they can do a revision on an ab-flap phallo for UL w nerve hookup and hopefully that is something that can be answered without the consult... then I'll just focus on US surgeons for the "basics" and look forward to whenever I can get the funds for what the rest will cost with the team in London.

Hi NothingHere,

I am interested in this technique as well. Could you update this thread when you know more?
If you have any contact information on them, I´d love to have it. I am still waiting for top surgery but it couldn´t hurt to already have the means to contact them.

Thanks!  :)

Hi, I have also been interested in this technique as well and I'm in the beginning phases of what it looks like you've already done. I'd love an update if you're still on the site!

Every phallus I've seen and said "that's exactly what I want" has been an abdominal with UL and nerve hookup from the London Team. I may end up moving to the UK before I'm ready for phallo which would help a lot, but I want to know of US options as well because my biggest support network is all in the States.

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I don´t think he´s around anymore (considering the name). But I´d be willing to contact them if I knew how. I don´t know if just a Google search for "Transgender London Team" will help much, but I will try. If anybody has any other information I´d love to have it  ;D Let´s see if we can help each other out.

I live in the UK and have found it impossible to find any information online as to the different bottom surgery procedures available on the NHS. There's seems to be only one team here who does bottom surgery for FtMs which is the London Team but can't find any info on their website about the different procedures apart from full phalloplasty or full metoidioplasty;  and if I was to get bottom surgery (still very much undecided) I wouldn't be interested in either. I guess they expect us to wait 9 months at the London GIC for a 2nd assessment and to ask the doctor about the different options available.

I am talking to my gender therapist about options ATM and my preferred method, for the time being (I still need to speak to a surgeon) is this one. I will see if she has any means to contact them and whether or not you need to go through the gender clinic in order to get in touch with them. I already went through the whole "gender clinic" here, so I'm assuming that won't be necessary... I'll update when I know more.