Rohit Shishodia

Doctor, an engineering student who aspires to be IAS, security guard, and a girl are on the waiting list at Delhi’s Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital (LNJPH) for sex-change surgeries known as sex reassignment surgeries.

While talking exclusively to Drug Today Medical Times (DTMT), Prof. PS Bhandari, Consultant, Department of Burns, and Plastic Surgery, LNJP, informed that doctor, an engineering student, and security guard want to be females while two girls, one of them runs a beauty parlor, wish to be males.

Prof Bhandari said that two educated youths including a doctor and engineering student came to the hospital with their parents, and the girl who wanted to change her sex came along with a female whom she wants to marry.

 “Interestingly, not only higher strata but lower strata people are visiting us for sex-change surgeries. A guard also came to us who wishes to be female but in government setups, they are given less priority. Cancer and burns patients are given more priority for surgeries,” Professor explained.

Prof. Bhandari emphasised that sex reassignment surgeries are time-consuming treatments or procedures as for almost a year patients have to take hormonal medicines.

Surgeries are also carried out in two to three stages, he added.

Prof Bhandari pointed out for making male to female surgeries external organs such as penis and testis are removed and the penis’ skin invaginated and this skin is used for constructing the vagina. Apart from that breast implants are done for construing breasts.

“In females, the uterus and breasts are removed in two stages. In the next stage, penile reconstruction is carried out for constructing penis,” Prof. Bhandari said.

He stressed after these surgeries males should not think that they can become a normal man.

In the male case, he can pass urine but cannot become a father. An erection will not happen as the penis lacks those tissues. Tissues of hands and thighs are used for constructing the penis therefore it will also lack sensations.  Similarly, those who become females after surgeries, should not assume they will become mothers, he added.

But before beginning these procedures, we give them hormonal treatments for almost a year because when we administer female hormones males’ beard, hair and mustache start disappearing.

Prof. Bhandari stressed these procedures are irreversible as removed gentiles cannot be reconstructed.

For sex reassignment surgeries the patients are first referred to three psychiatrists who give their opinions, and after their opinion or consent, they give affidavits to get consent for the procedures.