Evaluation of BMI as a Risk Factor for Complications Following Gender-Affirming Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty

The study, which included 101 adult patients who underwent gender-affirming penile inversion vaginoplasty (PIV) between 1999 and 2017, investigated the role of body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor for postoperative complications. The results indicated that BMI was not a significant predictor of complications, as 16.8% of patients experienced major complications and 35.6% experienced minor complications, with no significant correlation to BMI. Furthermore, other factors such as diabetes mellitus and smoking history also did not significantly predict complications. The study concluded that BMI should not be used as a sole criterion to exclude patients from undergoing PIV and that a more comprehensive assessment of overall health and medical comorbidities should be considered in the surgical selection process.