People seem to be getting the urinary hookups on a fairly regular basis. Does anyone know that stats as far as success in the long term, leakage, repairs?

Thanks,
sam1234

sam, great question. I am afraid the data is still poor as there are several procedures being used by several surgeons and they are still varying the procedure and learning what is the best.  I don't know of any published data that gives the information you are asking for.  I am very interested in having the procedure.  One encouraging point is that more guys are reporting good results, being able to stand and pee through the fly in their pants, which is what I want.

I have seen in written in many places that urethral strictures/fistulas are pretty common.  It seems to be a desired procedure, however (I will get it if a get a meta).

Standing to pee is a major issue. Its not just the ability to stand while urinating, but if you want to go camping or hiking with a couple guy friends and have to urinate, needing to be seen out of sight may raise eyebrows.

After my phalloplasty, I looked at the possiblity of a hookup, but the urologist at the time, some 26 years ago didn't recommend it. I had one transgender friend that knew another F to M that got the hookup. The results a disaster. He had so may urinary infections that they were going to "undo" the hookup.

Having to sit while I urinate only reminds me that things aren't right. At the time, the procedure could cause serious problems, including death. I just wondered what the results were now because I've run into some F to Ms on the forum that either had the hookup or want it.

I appreciate your answer. Good or bad, its nice to have the truth.

sam1234

Quote from: sam1234 on February 22, 2015, 02:04:48 PM
Standing to pee is a major issue. Its not just the ability to stand while urinating, but if you want to go camping or hiking with a couple guy friends and have to urinate, needing to be seen out of sight may raise eyebrows.

After my phalloplasty, I looked at the possiblity of a hookup, but the urologist at the time, some 26 years ago didn't recommend it. I had one transgender friend that knew another F to M that got the hookup. The results a disaster. He had so may urinary infections that they were going to "undo" the hookup.

Having to sit while I urinate only reminds me that things aren't right. At the time, the procedure could cause serious problems, including death. I just wondered what the results were now because I've run into some F to Ms on the forum that either had the hookup or want it.

I appreciate your answer. Good or bad, its nice to have the truth.

sam1234

Hey, Sam, would you ever consider starting a thread about your early experiences as a FTM?  Your journey?  With it being 26 years ago, I am sure we would all find it fascinating.

I would love to hear how you first got started, how hard it was to find someone to give you HRT, getting your top surgery, and your bottom surgery.  What it was like for the people around you.  Did you know any other MTF/FTMs back then or were you on your own with this?  If you moved away and became stealth...was that still an expectation of physicians/mental health professionals at that time?  If it were easier to be stealth back then because there was no internet?  Anyway, you would like to share would be great!  I know you weren't the first, but you are certainly a pioneer!

Ever since your first post when you shared how long ago you started transition I have wanted to ask you lots of questions!

My understanding is (and I went to quite a good session at Philly Trans health on this last year) is that the complications are not later, necessarily, but right at the time of surgery (or a few months later say).

Common complications are strictures (tightness) and fistulas (which are small holes), and lack of complete closures so you have leaking. And these are common, in that it doesn't matter how skilled, all surgeons have had cases. Some of these self-correct, and others require going in and patching up, essentially.

Another problem, with metas (not phallos) is some guys end up too small to actually stand to pee, while some stand to pee with difficulty (i.e they could go in a stall perhaps). I have heard of infections (though not like your friend, I think this is uncommon) and failures to connect completely, but not death, I mean at this time.

Some surgeons are able to go in after a phallo or meta and do these. Someone like Dr Crane in CA (or maybe he's in Austin now) would likely be able to do this as he was trained as a urologist and has done a lot of repairs on young cis males. (Some percentage are not able to STP). I believe after the surgery might be harder with a phallo than a meta (though I don't know this).

Actually I have heard of guys having fewer UTIs after hookup. The reason is that the length adds distance from the anus, which is a reason that female bodied people have more UTIs.
OTOH, the most common reason that guys do NOT get hookups is for concern re: the amoutn of complications. I can't lie and say it isn't fairly high, even if most are correctable. It's a tricky procedure, basically going in and making a urethra lengthener and threading inside the shaft and suturing it all completely closed.




--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on February 22, 2015, 11:55:29 PM
.....................................

Actually I have heard of guys having fewer UTIs after hookup. The reason is that the length adds distance from the anus, which is a reason that female bodied people have more UTIs.
OTOH, the most common reason that guys do NOT get hookups is for concern re: the amoutn of complications. I can't lie and say it isn't fairly high, even if most are correctable. It's a tricky procedure, basically going in and making a urethra lengthener and threading inside the shaft and suturing it all completely closed.

--Jay

Not really the distance but the location of the urethra opening.

Quote from: aleon515 on February 22, 2015, 11:55:29 PM
My understanding is (and I went to quite a good session at Philly Trans health on this last year) is that the complications are not later, necessarily, but right at the time of surgery (or a few months later say).

Common complications are strictures (tightness) and fistulas (which are small holes), and lack of complete closures so you have leaking. And these are common, in that it doesn't matter how skilled, all surgeons have had cases. Some of these self-correct, and others require going in and patching up, essentially.

Another problem, with metas (not phallos) is some guys end up too small to actually stand to pee, while some stand to pee with difficulty (i.e they could go in a stall perhaps). I have heard of infections (though not like your friend, I think this is uncommon) and failures to connect completely, but not death, I mean at this time.

Some surgeons are able to go in after a phallo or meta and do these. Someone like Dr Crane in CA (or maybe he's in Austin now) would likely be able to do this as he was trained as a urologist and has done a lot of repairs on young cis males. (Some percentage are not able to STP). I believe after the surgery might be harder with a phallo than a meta (though I don't know this).

Actually I have heard of guys having fewer UTIs after hookup. The reason is that the length adds distance from the anus, which is a reason that female bodied people have more UTIs.
OTOH, the most common reason that guys do NOT get hookups is for concern re: the amoutn of complications. I can't lie and say it isn't fairly high, even if most are correctable. It's a tricky procedure, basically going in and making a urethra lengthener and threading inside the shaft and suturing it all completely closed.




--Jay

I concur with Jay.  As usual!

Jay, Crane will be in Austin, I believe in the Fall.  His associate will still be in CA.  Maybe he is going back and forth, don't know.  He was a pediatric urologist, so he is actually used to working with small penises.  In fact, the urethra hook up issue is often the problem with male babies that he would fix.

I am hoping that Crane will be able to tell from my junk (when it is time for me to schedule), if I would for certain have enough length to pee (stall is fine with me).  If not, I would skip the hook up.

Mac1, yeah that was more of an imprecise way of wording it, but it is the position which is higher in the body, I guess you'd say. But yes.

Not sure how Dr Crane plans to do htis but yes, the Brownstein office stays in CA, and there are others working there (already someone doing most or all of the top surgery). This is as it should be, this guy is the lower surgery genius. He may be going back and forth a bit initially.

He is really good and tends to get a little more length with folks, not sure how he does this.
But one does have a basic biology to work with.

--Jay

Sam, being able to stand to pee is probably the first goal for lower surgery for me.  As you said guys when out camping/hiking just walk a step or two off the trail open their fly pull out their penis and stand there and go.  That is what I want to be able to do.  From what I read there seems to be more successful surgeries all the time, hopefully the surgeons are learning how to get the best results consistently.  It will be few years before I have the money so hopefully the results will be even better by then.

Quote from: mm on February 24, 2015, 02:23:29 PM
Sam, being able to stand to pee is probably the first goal for lower surgery for me.  As you said guys when out camping/hiking just walk a step or two off the trail open their fly pull out their penis and stand there and go.  That is what I want to be able to do.  From what I read there seems to be more successful surgeries all the time, hopefully the surgeons are learning how to get the best results consistently.  It will be few years before I have the money so hopefully the results will be even better by then.

I realize that being able to stand is a big thing for you but if it doesn't work right you could pee all over yourself. How do you do it now?  Is it really that big of a problem for you?

I kind of have my doubts that a surgeon, regardless of experience, would agree to do the surgery on me. Even though my surgeon left a tunnel in during the phalloplasty, just in case I wanted a hookup later, the opening at the proximal end is pretty small.

The other thing I worry about it losing what I have if there was a problem. That ten days in the burn unit after the phalloplasty was spent in fear of losing circulation. My surgeon wasn't sure if the vascular graft would take. Losing it now would be a major psychologic trauma.

sam1234

Sam, it sounds to me like it might be time to consult with a surgeon or two and see what they think. You're not committing to anything, and with the huge advances in imaging technology in the past 25 years (MRIs and whatnot), if there are questions about the feasibility/risks involved, they should be able to take a look via modern tech and see whatcha got in there.

Quote from: Tysilio on February 26, 2015, 08:14:21 AM
Sam, it sounds to me like it might be time to consult with a surgeon or two and see what they think. You're not committing to anything, and with the huge advances in imaging technology in the past 25 years (MRIs and whatnot), if there are questions about the feasibility/risks involved, they should be able to take a look via modern tech and see whatcha got in there.

That is good advice.
Sam1234

I agree re: checking out a surgeon. Someone like Dr Crain could give you a very honest update on procedures and so on. 

--Jay