Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms After Vaginoplasty: A Review

Purpose of Review: This review seeks to outline the current literature on lower urinary tract symptoms after gender-affirming vaginoplasty. We focus on the most common patient concerns after surgery including the following: incontinence, overactive bladder, meatal stenosis and urethral stricture, abnormal urinary stream, urinary tract infection, and fistula formation. Recent Findings: The vast majority of the literature on this topic centers on small retrospective studies. Although there are not many studies reporting the rates of lower urinary tract symptoms and complications following vaginoplasty, a few systematic reviews shed light on larger rates. Summary: There is a need for continued improvement in how lower urinary tract symptoms are reported after gender-affirming surgery to more accurately be able to counsel patients prior to surgery. There is a particular need for prospective studies on this topic in the future.