Chondrolaryngoplasty (commonly called tracheal shave) is a
surgical
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pa ...
procedure in which the
thyroid cartilage
The thyroid cartilage is the largest of the nine cartilages that make up the ''laryngeal skeleton'', the cartilage structure in and around the trachea that contains the larynx. It does not completely encircle the larynx (only the cricoid cartilag ...
is reduced in size by shaving down the
cartilage through an incision in the throat, generally to aid those who are uncomfortable with the girth of their
Adam's apple.
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Surgery
The technique was originally described by Francis G. Wolfort and Richard G. Parry
and has been developed since.
After an
anesthetic
An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia — in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into tw ...
(
local
Local may refer to:
Geography and transportation
* Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand
* Local, Missouri, a community in the United States
* Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...
or
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
,
depending on whether or not it is the only surgery to be performed) is administered to the patient, a small, horizontal incision is made on the bottom of the Adam's apple. The muscles in the throat are then held apart with
forceps
Forceps (plural forceps or considered a plural noun without a singular, often a pair of forceps; the Latin plural ''forcipes'' is no longer recorded in most dictionaries) are a handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Fo ...
,
and the protruding cartilage is shaved down with a
scalpel
A scalpel, lancet, or bistoury is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, podiatry and various arts and crafts (either called a hobby knife or an X-acto knife.). Scalpels may be single-use dispo ...
, thus making the throat appear smoother and less angular. The incision is then closed with
sutures, and a red line will mark the incision for about six weeks. Little scarring occurs in most cases because the surgeon will usually make the incision in one of the minuscule folds of skin that cover the Adam's apple.
The surgery is usually
outpatient
A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health c ...
unless it is combined with other surgeries that require
hospital stays.
Particular care must be taken by the surgeon to not remove too much cartilage, as doing so can reduce the structure of the
trachea
The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air-breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from th ...
and cause breathing difficulties.
Most surgeons who specialize in
gender affirming surgery offer the procedure, and some general plastic surgeons will as well. It is one of the more common surgeries performed on trans women, along with
genital reconstruction.
Due to the proximity of the
vocal folds
In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speech ...
, there is the small possibility that they may be damaged during this type of surgery. Generally, however, the patient's voice is unaffected, although there have been reports of slight change in
pitch. Some patients will choose to undergo additional
vocal surgery at the same time in order to minimize voice-related
dysphoria
Dysphoria (; ) is a profound state of unease or dissatisfaction. It is the semantic opposite of euphoria. In a psychiatric context, dysphoria may accompany depression, anxiety, or agitation.
In psychiatry
Intense states of distress and uneas ...
.
Recovery
It is recommended by many surgeons that the patient frequently rub the site of the incision to prevent noticeable scar tissue from forming. Swelling and bruising around the site of the incision is common, and patients may also experience difficulty swallowing and speaking, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the individual.
The average time for complete recovery is about two weeks, although it can sometimes take longer if the patient has pre-existing medical conditions such as
anemia
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, ...
.
The majority of patients are satisfied with the outcome of this surgery.
The most common complaints from those unsatisfied are that they still feel that their Adam's apple is too big or that the scar is too noticeable.
References
{{Reflist
Gender-affirming surgery (male-to-female)
Larynx surgery