For the first time, surgeons at Madurai GRH perform gender reassignment surgery

For the first time, the Government Rajaji Hospital’s transgender specialised team performed gender reassignment surgery on two transgender patients.

Gender reassignment surgery was conducted on a 21-year-old BCom graduate and a 24-year-old MCom graduate, according to a statement released on Tuesday by GRH dean Dr A Rathinavel. The couple, who had been living as transmen for over a decade, had female to male gender reassignment surgery in accordance with Tamil Nadu’s National Health Mission (NHM) guidelines.

“Usually by 10 years of age, the change in thought processes will be noticeable. However, legally, gender reassignment surgery can be done only after 18 years of age. The requirements before the gender reassignment surgery include conditions such as the patient must have lived as a transgender person for at least one year and should have a stable mental state,” said Dr S Sridhar, transgender clinic convener and head, department of endocrinology, GRH. He said the two patients were already under hormone therapy for one year. Hysterectomy and bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy was performed by the obstetrics and gynecology team led by department head Dr N Sumathi. Pre-operative and post-operative care was taken care of by the department of plastic surgery led by department head Dr Suresh Kumar. “In the long-run, follow-up is required. Hormone medicines, calcium and vitamin D must be taken to keep bone health since it is affected with the removal of sex organs,” said Dr Sridhar.

“We are getting patients from other districts as well. It is easier and safe for patients to get the gender reassignment surgery at our clinic,” said Dr Sridhar. Currently, 37 transgender individuals are at various stages of pre-operative treatment at the clinic. As many as 10 patients are waiting to undergo gender reassignment surgery in due course.

Along with the social welfare department, district collectorate of Madurai and the Transgender Board of GRH issue transgender identity cards to 170 individuals after medical assessment.