Information About Tracheal Shave Surgery and Launching a Research Survey on Tracheal Shave

Please share this survey on tracheal shave experiences with anyone you know who has had a tracheal shave. It will help us protect future transpeople:  Research Survey Link 

The purpose of this video is to inform and educate the trans community on potential risks surrounding chondrolaryngoplasty ("tracheal shave surgery"). This is one of the most commonly sought out gender affirming surgeries. Across the community and upon speaking to many surgeons, there is an impression this surgery carries almost no vocal risk. However, I continue to meet transpeople who have sustained significant vocal impairment from this procedure.  

That is why I am launching the Tracheal Shave & Voice Impairment survey. I'm calling on members of the trans community who have undergone tracheal shave to submit their experience into a community data set. For members of the community who have no had a tracheal shave, you can still play a key role in protecting trans bodies by spreading this survey to as many individuals as possible. That said, I am not a medical professional. This video is not medical advice.  

Recently I worked with a returning student who I hadn't seen in almost a year. She received a tracheal shave 6 months ago and now suffers from significant vocal impairment. Upon asking her surgeon, she received very little help or information about what the issue could be. I have now encountered 20-30 people who have experienced some form of vocal impairment post-tracheal shave.  I do believe the risks for this procedure are low but it appears there is poor surgical practice running rampant in regards to this procedure. This is unacceptable and I want to use my platform to influence this to change.  

Together, we can build the biggest and most significant data set on tracheal shave experiences ever collected. We can leverage this data set to identify surgeons who injure transpeople more than others, look for patterns in highest effectiveness surgeons, and create a clearer path for those in need of this surgery to access it safely.  We can also use the data to identify trends in post-chondrolaryngoplasty vocal impairment to find trends in patterns of vocal loss, vocal recovery, and clues for pathology.  

This mission, in addition to spreading awareness about potential vocal complications, is the goal of this video and survey. Thank you so much for being here and being a part of this.  Let's work together to protect trans voices, trans bodies, and establish the safest way for transpeople to access this procedure.