All surgical procedures involve some risks. Risks include negative reactions to anesthesia, blood loss, blood clots and infection. These complications can, in extreme cases, result in death. It’s important to discuss these risks in detail with your surgeon. Your surgical care team will take a wide variety of steps to prevent these problems, detect them if they arise and respond to them appropriately. They will also inform you about what you can do to minimize your risks. Some complications are particularly associated with metoidioplasty. 

Below are a list of some possible complications of this surgery. Please note – this list is not comprehensive and you should have a detailed discussion of risks with your surgeon.

Abscess formation

An abscess is a collection of pus caused by a bacterial infection. It can be treated with antibiotics or drained by the surgeon.

Decreased sensation

The risk of decreased sensation after metoidioplasty is less than with phalloplasty, but changes to sensation are still possible.

Dissatisfaction…

Some people may be dissatisfied with the size or shape of the penis. You can check with your surgeon to see if surgical revision is possible.

Hematoma

When blood collects in the surgical site, causing pain, swelling and redness. It is the most common complication. Drains and compression bandages are used to prevent hematomas. Smaller hematomas can be sucked out, but larger ones require removal through surgery.

Seroma

When clear fluid accumulates in the surgical site. Small seromas may need to be aspirated, or sucked out, once or more by the surgeon. Big seromas may need to be removed through surgery.

Wound separation

The partial or complete opening of incisions along the sutures.

Scarring

You can take steps to prevent significant scarring by following your surgeon’s advice about getting rest, avoiding the sun and doing massage exercises. Severe scarring may require surgical revision.

Urological complications

Even with urethral lengthening, some people will not be able to urinate while standing. This can be because of the urine stream (it may spray or dribble), or because the penis does not extend far enough out from the body.

Other urological complications include fistulas (flow of urine to areas other than urethra opening), stenosis (narrowing of the urethra, causing difficulty urinating), strictures (scarring inside the urethra, causing difficulty urinating) and hair growth inside the urethra. If these problems don’t resolve on their own, they may require additional surgery.