To describe the current Medicaid coverage landscape for gender-affirming surgery across the United States at the procedure level and identify factors associated with coverage.
Medicaid coverage for ...gender-affirming surgery differs by state, despite a federal ban on gender identity-based discrimination in health insurance. States that cover gender-affirming surgery also differ in which procedures are included in Medicaid coverage, leading to confusion among patients and clinicians.
State Medicaid policies in 2021 for gender-affirming surgery were queried for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). State partisanship, state-level Medicaid protections, and coverage of gender-affirming procedures in 2021 were recorded. The linear correlation between electorate partisanship and total procedures covered was assessed. Pairwise t tests were used to compare coverage based on state partisanship and the presence or absence of state-level Medicaid protections.
Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming surgery was covered in 30 states and Washington, D.C. The most commonly covered procedures were genital surgeries and mastectomy (n = 31), followed by breast augmentation (n = 21), facial feminization (n = 12), and voice modification surgery (n = 4). More procedures were covered in Democrat-controlled or leaning states, as well as in states with explicit protections for gender-affirming care in Medicaid coverage.
Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming surgery is patchwork across the United States and is especially poor for facial and voice surgeries. Our study provides a convenient reference for patients and surgeons detailing which gender-affirming surgical procedures are covered by Medicaid within each state.
To determine the innervation pattern to the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint and assess the safety and efficacy of selective joint denervation for the treatment of pain and impairment associated ...with thumb CMC arthritis.
Cadaveric dissections were performed in 10 fresh upper extremities to better define the innervation patterns to the CMC joint and guide the surgical approach for CMC joint denervation. Histologic confirmation of candidate nerves was performed with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results from a series of 12 patients with symptomatic thumb CMC arthritis who underwent selective denervation were retrospectively evaluated to determine the safety and efficacy of this treatment approach. Differences in preoperative and postoperative measurements of grip and key-pinch strength as well as subjective reporting of symptoms were compared.
Nerve branches to the thumb CMC joint were found to arise from the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (10 of 10 specimens), the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve (7 of 10 specimens), and the radial sensory nerve (4 of 10 specimens). With an average follow-up time of 15 months, 11 of 12 patients (92%) reported complete or near-complete relief of pain. Average improvements in grip and lateral key-pinch strength were 4.1 ± 3.0 kg (18% ± 12% from baseline) and 1.7 ± 0.5 kg (37% ± 11% from baseline), respectively. One patient experienced the onset of new pain consistent with a neuroma that resolved with steroid injection. All patients were released to light activity at 1 week after surgery, and all activity restrictions were lifted by 6 weeks after surgery.
Selective denervation of the CMC joint is an effective approach to treat pain and alleviate impairment associated with CMC arthritis. The procedure is well tolerated, with faster recovery as compared with trapeziectomy. Branches arising from the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve, palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve, and radial sensory nerve can be identified and resected with a single-incision Wagner approach.
Therapeutic V.
Traditional abdominoplasty techniques often fail to adequately correct the complex contour deformities in the massive weight loss patient. To address these deformities, addition of a vertical skin ...resection to the traditional horizontal excision has become a popular procedure. The authors analyzed the impact of vertical (fleur-de-lis) excision on complications when compared with traditional transverse excision.
A review of massive weight loss patients enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective registry was performed on consecutive patients undergoing abdominoplasty by a single surgeon. Patients were included if they underwent at least 50 pounds of weight loss. Demographic information, procedural data, and outcome measures were studied. Logistic regression and t tests were performed to analyze differences in complication rates for both procedures and identify risk factors for complications.
Four hundred ninety-nine patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 154 (31 percent) had a fleur-de-lis vertical component. The overall abdominal complication rate for all patients was 26.3 percent, with a 5.0 percent rate of major complications. Transverse-only and fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty had similar rates of complications with the exception of a higher rate of wound infection in the fleur-de-lis group on multivariate analysis. Risk factors for abdominal wound complications with either procedure included male sex, high body mass index, concurrent component separation, and previous subcostal scars.
Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty can be safely performed with complication rates comparable to those of traditional abdominoplasty techniques. Ideal candidates are patients with upper abdominal skin laxity who may not achieve an adequate aesthetic result with transverse-only excision.
Wound healing problems are a major cause of morbidity for gender-affirming surgery (GAS) patients. Prior studies have shown sex differences in wound healing may exist. We hypothesized exogenous ...testosterone supplementation may impair post-GAS wound healing and developed a model to investigate this phenomenon. Mice were randomized by hormone regimen and gonadectomy (OVX). Gonadectomy or sham occurred on day 0 and mice were assigned to no testosterone (-T), mono- or bi-weekly (T/2T) testosterone groups. Dorsal splinted wounding occurred on day 14 and harvest on day 21. Serum testosterone levels were quantified with mass spectrometry. Tissue underwent analysis with planimetry, qPCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence. Mean testosterone trough levels for bi-weekly regimen were higher compared to mono-weekly (397 versus 272 ng/dL;
P
= 0.027). At POD5, 2T injections led to 24.9% and 24.7% increases in mean wound size relative to SHAM and OVX/-T, respectively (
P
= 0.004; 0.001). Wounds in OVX/+2T mice demonstrated increased gene expression for inflammatory cytokines and macrophage marker F4/80 (
P
< 0.05). ELISA confirmed elevated wound TNFα levels (
P
< 0.05). Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence with F4/80/NOS2/ARG1 showed significant increases in macrophage prevalence in OVX/+2T (
P
< 0.05). We developed a novel model of GAS hormonal milieu to study effects of exogenous testosterone on wound healing. Optimized twice-weekly dosing yielded serum levels comparable to clinical therapy. We showed exogenous testosterone administered to XX/OVX mice significantly impairs wound healing. A hyperinflammatory wound environment results in increased macrophage proliferation and elevated cytokines. Future efforts are directed toward mechanistic investigation and clinical validation.
Venous thromboembolism is a devastating complication representing one of the major causes of postoperative death in plastic surgery. Within the scope of plastic surgery, body-contouring procedures ...are often considered to carry a higher risk of venous thromboembolism. Hereditary thrombophilias comprise a group of conditions defined by a genetic predisposition to thrombosis development. Collectively, hereditary thrombophilias are present in at least 15 percent of Western populations and underlie approximately half of thromboembolic events. Although the topic of venous thromboembolism is discussed widely throughout the literature, there is little published on the diagnosis and management of hereditary thrombophilias in the plastic surgery literature. The goals of this study were to present a review of the major inherited thrombophilias, to delineate the risk of these disorders, and to recommend a practical algorithm for patient screening and management before major plastic surgery.
A MEDLINE search was performed from 1965 to the present to review the literature on inherited thrombophilia disorders.
Based on the English language literature and clinical experience, the authors suggest practical guidelines for screening and management of hereditary thrombophilias. A thorough medical history and preoperative evaluation are key to reducing venous thromboembolism complications.
Hereditary thrombophilias are present in a significant number of thromboembolic events. Preoperative vigilance on the part of the plastic surgeon may help to identify patients with undiagnosed hereditary thrombophilias and thereby decrease the incidence of venous thromboembolism.
To quantify changes in extraocular muscle (EOM) cross-sectional areas (CSA) on orbital imaging in patients with thyroid eye disease before and after teprotumumab treatment, and assess for correlation ...with clinical outcomes.
This retrospective study included thyroid eye disease patients treated with teprotumumab who had pre- and post-treatment CT imaging. Reformatted oblique coronal images were created for each orbit in a plane perpendicular to the optic nerve. EOM CSA measurements were performed by 2 radiographic reviewers and averaged. Primary outcomes included change in ratio of total EOM to orbit CSA, and of each individual muscle group to orbit CSA, before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included subanalysis based on age (≥40, <40 years) and Clinical Activity Score (CAS) (≥4, <4), and comparison with clinical outcomes including CAS, Hertel exophthalmometry, Gorman diplopia score, and extraocular motility.
Forty-eight orbits of 24 patients (16 female, mean age 57.9 years) were included. There was a significant reduction in the total EOM to orbit CSA ratio ( p < 0.01) and for each individual rectus muscle to orbit CSA ratio ( p < 0.01 for all groups). Total EOM to orbit CSA ratios were reduced for 21 patients (87.5%); this was statistically significant in 13 patients (54.2%). There was significant improvement in CAS, proptosis, diplopia, and EOM motility ( p < 0.01 for all categories). There was a significant correlation between reduction of EOM CSA, and reduction of diplopia ( p < 0.01) and EOM motility ( p < 0.01).
EOM CSA is significantly reduced following treatment with teprotumumab, and correlates with clinical findings including improvement in extraocular motility and diplopia.
This letter describes transplantation of the penis, scrotum, and lower abdominal wall in an injured veteran who had sustained traumatic penile loss from an explosion. It has been more than 1 year ...since the transplantation, and the patient has near-normal sexual function and major improvement in quality-of-life measures.
Body contouring after weight loss is becoming more prevalent. An appropriate systematic approach that starts from the first consultation needs to focus on residual comorbidities and weight of the ...patient. A thorough discussion about potential outcomes manages expectations. Preoperative optimization with smoking, herbal cessation, and nutritional assessment is mandatory. Planned staged approach minimizes lengthy procedures associated with increased postoperative morbidity. In the operating room, appropriate ambient temperature, positioning of the patient, and continuous discussion between surgeon and anesthesiologist prevent further complications. Careful transition to postoperative care with early ambulation and use of compressive garments add to an approach to minimize postoperative complications.
Assessment of nutritional status in the growing postbariatric patient population remains controversial. Previous literature suggests that these patients have poor nutrition that may have adverse ...effects on surgical outcomes. The authors sought to determine the optimal method of nutritional assessment in postbariatric patients.
One hundred patients presenting for body contouring after bariatric surgery were consecutively enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective study. A trained nutritionist assessed protein and calorie intake. All patients underwent baseline laboratory assessment.
Eighteen percent of subjects had less than the recommended daily protein intake. Hypoalbuminemia was observed in 13.8 percent of subjects, with hypoprealbuminemia in 6.5 percent. Nearly forty percent of all patients had evidence of iron deficiency, with vitamin B12 deficiency present in 14.5 percent. Ten percent of subjects (all women) were confirmed to have iron deficiency anemia. Impaired fasting glucose was seen in 6.2 percent of subjects, whereas 3.6 percent had hemoglobin A1c levels greater than 6.5. Increasing age (odds ratio, 1.07) and greater change in body mass index (odds ratio, 1.11) were predictors of low protein intake. Dumping syndrome led to 13.3 times increased odds of low albumin levels.
The results suggest that inadequate nutrition is common among postbariatric patients presenting for body contouring. The lack of correlation between methods of nutritional assessment supports the combination of multiple methods in determining overall nutritional status. The presence of dumping syndrome, a large change in body mass index, and advanced age may help to identify patients with an increased risk of nutritional deficiency.
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