She had come to consult twice, a few years apart, without ever succeeding in taking the plunge. She finally decided recently to repair, surgically, the damage of the excision suffered when she was 15 years old. More than thirty years later. “That is to say the psychological trauma, the fear of facing even greater suffering, testifies Dr. Laurent Dahmani, the Seynois urologist who operated on her. A first – as far as he is concerned – which convinced him of the need to inform the women affected by this tragedy. “These interventions remain rare, but we must remember that they are possible, that these women should not hesitate to consult, that we can help them.”
A simple surgical procedure
Technically, the classic surgical gesture, developed by a French urologist, Dr. Pierre Foldes (with Jean-Antoine Robein), is quite simple: the clitoris is an organ essentially hidden under the skin; by stretching it, we can reconstitute both the anatomy and the innervation, and allow the patient to find pleasure once more. “We cut the suspensory ligament of the clitoris to allow the body of the clitoris to be lengthened and to reconstruct a pseudo glans – the glans, the labia minora and labia majora having been excised.” The relatively brief operation can be painful. In this particular case, “The patient did not complain, but the anesthesiologists were very vigilant. In the recovery room, she just had a very big smile!”
A more complex global care
“The goal, continues the urologist, was to approach a return to normal morphology and to try to bring sexual sensitivity to a patient who did not experience physical suffering during intercourse – as may be the case – but who had no no fulfilling sex either.”
He tempers, however: in the same way as “the surgical gesture is not enough to overcome the trauma suffered, which is just as much psychological as physical, sexual fulfillment is not linked to the only sensations on the glans of the clitoris. Beyond the surgical gesture, there is everything reconstruction work to be done, with psychologists, sexologists.”
In France – where the practice of excision is of course illegal, and punishable by imprisonment (even if it were practiced abroad) – the number of circumcised women is estimated at between 60,000 and 125,000. “It’s a very old practice and still very common in certain countries, and not only in working-class circles. We must convey to these women who suffer the message that we can repair this horror and help them to flourish sexually. , in 25% of cases following this type of intervention”, says Dr. Dahmani.
“There is coverage by health insurance, but consultations remain quite rare. It should be remembered that it is possible. Do not hesitate to consult a urologist, a gynecologist or an aesthetic doctor for the reconstruction of the lips, a psychologist or a psychiatrist.”
Dr. Dahmani now plans to invest in the subject (1), perhaps by relying on an association bringing together caregivers and patients.
1- Those interested or already involved can contact him at the following email address: laurent.dahmani2@gmail.com
