This is especially so in the case of trans men, many of whom are dissatisfied with the current state of phalloplasty, which is typically very expensive, not covered by health insurance, and commonly does not achieve desired results. For example, not only does phalloplasty not result in a completely natural erection, it may not allow for an erection at all, and its results commonly lack penile sexual sensitivity; in other cases, however, phalloplasty results are satisfying for trans men. By contrast, metoidioplasty, which is more popular, is significantly less expensive and has far better sexual results.Transsexual people can be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual; many choose the language of how they refer to their sexual orientation based on their gender identity, not their birth assigned sex. Psychological treatment
Psychological techniques that attempt to alter gender identity to one considered appropriate for the persons assigned sex, aka conversion therapy, are ineffective. The widely recognized Standards of Care note that sometimes the only reasonable and effective course of treatment for transsexual people is to go through sex reassignment therapy.The need for treatment of transsexual people is emphasized by the high rate of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and various addictions, as well as a higher suicide rate among untreated transsexual people than in the general population.
Fibrochondrogenesis is a rare autosomal recessive form of osteochondrodysplasia, causing abnormal fibrous development of cartilage and related tissues.It is a lethal rhizomelic (malformations which result in short, underdeveloped limbs) form of dwarfism, exhibiting both skeletal dysplasia (malformations of bone) and fibroblastic dysplasia (abnormal development of fibroblasts, specialized cells that make up fibrous connective tissue, which plays a role in the formation of cellular structure and promotes healing of damaged tissues). Death caused by complications of fibrochondrogenesis occurs in infancy. Presentation
Fibrochondrogenesis is a congenital disorder presenting several features and radiological findings, some which distinguish it from other osteochondrodysplasias. These include: fibroblastic dysplasia and fibrosis of chondrocytes (cells which form cartilage); and flared, widened
long bone metaphyses (the portion of bone that grows during childhood).Other prominent features include dwarfism, shortened ribs that have a concave appearance, micrognathism (severely underdeveloped jaw), macrocephaly (enlarged head), thoracic hypoplasia (underdeveloped chest), enlarged stomach, platyspondyly (flattened spine), and the somewhat uncommon deformity of bifid tongue (in which the tongue appears split, resembling that of a reptile). Cause
The cause of platyspondyly in fibrochondrogenesis can be attributed in part to odd malformations and structural flaws found in the vertebral bodies of the spinal column in affected infants.Fibrochondrogenesis alters the normal function of chondrocytes, fibroblasts, metaphyseal cells and others associated with cartilage, bone and connective tissues. Overwhelming
disorganization of cellular processes involved in the formation of cartilage and bone (ossification), in combination with fibroblastic degeneration of these cells, developmental errors and systemic skeletal malformations describes the severity of this lethal osteochondrodysplasia.