On September 8, day 2 of the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons Annual Congress, the morning session was dedicated to transgender health care. The meeting opened with a panel debate on various approaches to vaginoplasty. Dr Dmitry Nikolavsky, from SUNY Upstate (State University of New York Upstate Medical University), moderated the session, and expert panelists included Dr Geolani Dy from Oregon Health & Science University, who presented a pro robotic-assisted peritoneal approach, Dr Nima Baradaran from The Ohio State University, who presented a pro penile-inversion approach, and Dr Maurice Garcia, who presented a pro intestinal-vaginoplasty approach.

This was followed by a roundtable discussion on impactful studies in transgender and gender-diverse care, with experts discussing frontiers in transgender research, as well as a case-based discussion on complications after masculinizing surgery decision-making and complication management.

At the conclusion of the session, Lisa Zhang, PGY4 (postgraduate year 4) urology resident at the University of Washington, interviewed Drs Nikolavsky and Dy to discuss the exciting expansion of gender-affirming care and how to be a lifelong learner in surgery. Drs Nikolavsky and Dy shared that they are “very excited to see how many people in the audience performed vaginoplasty, what approaches people are offering” compared to even 5 years ago, and “there is so much engagement” and interest from the audience to learn more and achieve better care for the transgender population.

As gender-affirming surgery rapidly expands as a field, Drs Gy and Nikolavsky emphasized the importance to “collect more data” and “include the patient’s voice” to tailor approaches that are best for each patient. For gender-affirming surgeons, they want to “encourage more exchanges in ideas, and learning different and new surgical approaches” through institutional visits and programs, and to always “keep learning.”