Orchidectomy is a type of surgery which involves getting your testes removed. Testicles are those endocrine glands that create testosterone. And testosterone is a very masculine hormone that makes our body much more masculine. But through Orchidectomy, this hormone can be blocked.
The operation
Orchidectomy is an irreversible process. And so, because of this, you have to get a gender dysphoria certificate from two independent psychiatrists.
Consequences
- After this surgery, your body cannot create sperm so if you want biological children in future, you have to preserve your sperm and then use IVF or surrogacy.
- After the surgery, the body creates really few sex hormones like testosterone or estrogen and they are extremely important for your bone health. Without it, your bones will become brittle. This is the reason why women lose their bone density after menopause.
- So after that, you have to take estrogen or testosterone for life. At least till your menopausal or andropausal age.
Pros
The pros of the surgery for Trans people
- Your body becomes a post-op body which means that your body creates less testosterone. So you have no need for anti-androgen pills.
- You can buy time. For instance, if you don’t have enough money to perform vaginoplasty and you are scared of your body becoming more masculine.
Cons
- After orchidectomy, your penis starts shrinking slowly. This is a problem for those who are doing a penile inversion vaginoplasty.
Because the skin of the penis is used to create the vaginal canal. So if the skin is less then the depth cannot be properly achieved.
- If you want your biological child, you would have to do sperm banking.
- You will have to keep taking hormones after your orchidectomy otherwise your bones would start getting weak. And you could get osteoporosis, which would make your bones so weak that they can break.
Cost
The cost is usually about 2 to 3 lakhs and you can go home in 2 to 3 days after the operation.
How is it done?
Orchidectomy can be done through two methods- one is an inguinal incision and the other is a mid-scrotal incision.
Inguinal incision involves a cut near your waist and taking your testis out. While in mid-scrotal, there is a cut made on the line of the penis to take it out.
If you choose to do vaginoplasty in the future, a mid-scrotal incision would be better for you.
