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Phalloplasty Photographs

by Michael

These photographs and associated two articles entitled "Phalloplasty One" and "Phalloplasty Two" are reprinted with permission of the author who underwent this procedure in Melbourne in the 1990's.

Please click on a thumbnail below to view the image and description of the phalloplasty procedure, or follow the procedure chronologically by clicking the first thumbnail.

The Surgeon draws a pattern of the penile shape on the forearm. From this pattern he is able to remove the exact amount of flesh required for the penis.

Surgeons are cauterising the veins on the forearm while they are removing the flesh from the arm.

Still working on removing tissue on the forearm.

At this stage, the urethral tube has been made with a penile catheter inserted to keep the passage open whilst healing. The shaft of the penis is now being stitched up. The phallus is still attached to the arm via blood vessels so that the flesh is kept viable.

The shaft has been completely joined and the surgeons are preparing to close the head.

The shaft has been joined and stitched. While still attached to the arm, the head of the penis is now closed up. At the head end of the penis, you can see the ridge that defines the tip of the penis. This is was created before the shaft was joined.

This shows the phallus shaft completely joined as well the ridge that defines the penis head shape is clearly visible just above the surgical instrument. Also showing is the penile catheter tube protruding from the tip of the head of the penis.

The fully formed penis is still attached to the forearm.

The penis has now been completed. All that remains is to detach the blood vessels which are still supplying blood to the phallus.

The penis has been fashioned and is now detached from the arm.

This is the machine that stretches the skin to a mesh like appearance which allows complete coverage of the wound site on the arm.

The skin graft taken from the thigh is removed in two pieces. The skin has been stretched until it has a mesh like appearance. This is done in this way so the grafted skin adheres well to the wound site.

Both skin grafts are now attached by staples. The stapler is visible in the surgeon's hand.

Arm has been dressed and splinted for support.

This shows the site where the penis will be attached.

This photo shows the beginning of the attachment of the penis to the body. Clamps are visible on the right hand side of the photo.

Blood vessels and arteries are attached to the penile graft with microsurgery.

The surgeon has now attached both urethral ends. The abdomen and testicular implants are visible on the left hand side of the photo, with the phallus being supported by the surgeon. The gauze that helps to form the ridge at the head of the phallus remains in place for six days.

The penile shaft is now fully attached to the area of the pubic bone. The dressings will shortly be applied and the patient is returned to recovery. The penile catheter is visible at the top of the photo as well as the gauze supporting the ridge.

Dressings and support are being applied to the penis before the patient is returned to the ward.

This is another view of the penis.

Back in the Ward: This shows the foam rubber supporting the penis. Nurses are specialising in this type of nursing care at the hospital in Victoria.

Staples have been used on the incision sites. Suprapubic catheter is attached just below the navel and the drain tube is below the incision line.

Day 6: Staples have been removed and dressings applied. Drain tube has also been removed.

Day 9: The plaster and dressings have been removed from the forearm. Wound is clean and granulating well.

Day 10: The dressings were removed from the thigh donor site, in a bath. An op-site dressing is applied.

The raw patch at the base of the penis has caused problems in the past in some patients. Dr Hunter-Smith decided to wait until this area had healed before I attempted urinating.

Day 14: Staples are clearly visible along the perimeter of the graft. The healing process is well underway.

Another view of the wound on the arm.

Day 19: Staples have been removed. The small raw patches are from small adhesions to the dressing when it was removed. These healed very quickly.

Day 40: As you can see, the arm is well healed and has continued to do so.

Day 47: Self explanatory! The redness from the graft site on the left thigh has now faded considerably.