Childhood surgery for ambiguous genitalia

Glimpses of practice changes or more of the same

Bibliographic Data

ID12978408
AuthorsSarah M Creighton, Sarah Creighton (0000-0002-6251-2437, University College Hospital, corresponding author), Lina Michala (0000-0001-8629-9776, Alexandra Hospital), Imran Mushtaq (0000-0002-7930-0342, Great Ormond Street Hospital), Michal Yaron (0000-0003-0665-4710, University Hospital of Geneva)
Year2013
Volume5
Issue1
Pages34-43
Publication date2013-10-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychology and Sexuality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1941-9902 • E-ISSN: 1941-9899
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19419899.2013.831214
OpenAlexW2321890966
LanguageEN
Citations received24
References cited28

The Chicago consensus statement of 2005 was created at the point of cumulative criticisms and debates around the clinical practice of childhood genital surgery. It was drawn up at a time when it had become clearer that medically non-essential paediatric genital operations were associated with poor adult cosmetic outcomes and sexual functioning. However, data were not available for non-intervention. Therefore, parents and clinicians had no reliable information on how a child growing up with atypical genitalia might fare. The most positive recommendation in the consensus statement was the strong recommendation for decisions to be reached by a multidisciplinary team in collaboration with affected families. Importantly, the value of user groups was likewise formally acknowledged. For many services, there has been a sea change in the way surgeons work. Whilst some surgeons may continue with the standard practice of childhood genital surgery, it is becoming clearer that with adequate support, more individuals and families choose to postpone elective interventions. However, these are our observations only. Authoritative evidence must be based on high-quality multi-centre multidisciplinary research to prospectively monitor the long-term multiple outcomes of surgery and no surgery. There is as yet no obvious move towards such an endeavour

Ambiguous genitalia · Family medicine · Intervention (counseling · Multidisciplinary approach · Political science · Psychological intervention · Quality (philosophy · Sex organ · Social science · Sociology · Statement (logic · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Sexual Differentiation and Disorders · Testicular diseases and treatments · Urological Disorders and Treatments · Pediatrics