Performing Surgery to Reverse FGM (Excerpt from ‘The Cut That Heals’)
Summary
TLDRIn the Sano Surgery Center, Dr. Marcy Bowers performs clitoral plastic surgery to restore the genitalia of women who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). This centuries-old cultural practice has left many with lifelong complications. The surgery not only addresses urinary and menstrual issues by enlarging the constricted openings but also aims to restore sexual sensation through a procedure called clitoroplasty. Dr. Bowers believes in the importance of sensuality and sexuality as a basic human sense, and her work seeks to give back what FGM has taken away.
Takeaways
- 🚑 The script describes a surgical procedure called clitoroplasty, which is a type of clitoral reconstruction surgery performed on women who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM).
- 🌐 FGM is a cultural tradition that involves forced cutting or scraping of the genitalia in young girls, leading to lifelong complications for most.
- 🔍 The patient in the script is part of a small but increasing number of women choosing to undergo surgery to restore their genitalia.
- 👩⚕️ Dr. Marcy Bowers is a surgeon who dedicates a portion of her practice to helping women with FGM, performing surgeries that can restore normal genital function.
- ✂️ The initial incision in the surgery involves cutting through scar tissue to expose any remaining genitalia, addressing issues of constriction and narrowing.
- 💧 One of the immediate benefits of the surgery is the ability to urinate comfortably, which was previously hindered due to the small opening caused by FGM.
- 🤰 Another benefit is the potential for women to give birth naturally instead of via C-section, which was not possible due to the small genital opening.
- 🩸 The script highlights the restoration of menstruation comfort, which was also affected by the FGM.
- ❤️ Dr. Bowers performs a procedure called clitoroplasty, which aims to expose sensitive clitoral tissue to restore sexual feeling, emphasizing the importance of sensuality and sexuality as a basic human sense.
- 🔄 The surgery not only corrects physical damage but also uncovers the hidden, healthy genitalia underneath, which can be very helpful for the patient's overall well-being.
- 🎶 The script concludes with a musical note, symbolizing the positive impact of the surgery on the patient's life, giving back a sense that was previously taken away.
Q & A
What is the medical condition described in the transcript?
-The medical condition described is a result of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), where the clitoris has been sewn shut, causing complications such as difficulty in urination and menstruation.
What is FGM and what does it stand for?
-FGM stands for Female Genital Mutilation, which is a centuries-old cultural tradition involving the forced cutting or scraping of the genitalia in young girls, leading to lifelong complications.
Why are some women opting for surgery to restore their genitalia?
-Some women with FGM are opting for surgery to restore their genitalia to alleviate complications such as difficulty urinating, menstruating, and to restore sexual feeling.
Who is Dr. Marcy Bowers and what role does she play in this context?
-Dr. Marcy Bowers is a surgeon who has a small part of her practice devoted to women with FGM, performing surgeries to restore their genitalia.
What is the first step Dr. Bowers takes in the surgery described?
-Dr. Bowers' first step in the surgery is to make an incision through the scar tissue to expose any genitalia left underneath.
What is the purpose of the defibrillation procedure performed by Dr. Bowers?
-The purpose of the defibrillation procedure is to address the problem of constriction and narrowing of the genital area, allowing for normal function.
What benefits does the surgery offer to women who have undergone FGM?
-The surgery can offer benefits such as the ability to give birth naturally, urinate and menstruate comfortably, and restore sexual sensation.
What is the significance of the clitoris in the context of the surgery?
-In the context of the surgery, the clitoris is significant because it contains sensitive tissue that, when exposed through a procedure called clitoroplasty, can help restore sexual feeling.
What distinguishes Dr. Bowers' work from other surgeons who perform defibrillations?
-Dr. Bowers' work is distinguished by the inclusion of a procedure called clitoroplasty, which aims to expose sensitive clitoral tissue to restore sexual feeling.
What is Dr. Bowers' personal belief regarding the importance of sensuality and sexuality?
-Dr. Bowers believes that sensuality and sexuality are fundamental human senses, akin to sight, sound, smell, and touch, and restoring these senses through surgery can be enormously beneficial.
What is the final outcome expected for the patient undergoing the surgery described in the script?
-The expected final outcome for the patient is the restoration of normal genital function, including the ability to urinate and menstruate comfortably, and the potential for restored sexual sensation.
Outlines
🏥 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Restoration Surgery
The script introduces a patient undergoing clitoral plastic surgery to restore her clitoris that was sewn shut due to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM is a cultural tradition involving forced cutting or scraping of young girls' genitalia, causing lifelong complications. The patient is part of a growing number seeking surgical restoration. Dr. Marcy Bowers, a surgeon specializing in FGM cases, performs the procedure to cut through scar tissue and expose any remaining genitalia. The surgery addresses issues like constriction, allowing for natural childbirth, comfortable urination, menstruation, and the restoration of sexual sensation. Dr. Bowers emphasizes the importance of sensuality and sexuality as basic human senses, aiming to restore what was taken away by FGM through a procedure called clitoroplasty.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡FGM
💡Clotoplasty
💡Defibrillation
💡Urethral Opening
💡Surgical Restoration
💡Sensuality
💡Sexual Feeling
💡Scar Tissue
💡C-Section
💡Menstruation
💡Dr. Marcy Bowers
Highlights
A patient with female genital mutilation (FGM) is undergoing clitoral plastic surgery to restore her genitalia.
FGM is a centuries-old cultural tradition involving forced cutting or scraping of young girls' genitalia.
Complications from FGM often persist for the rest of the victims' lives.
Dr. Marcy Bowers is a surgeon specializing in restoring genitalia for FGM victims.
Surgery involves cutting through scar tissue to expose any remaining genitalia.
Defibrillation addresses the constriction and narrowing issues caused by FGM.
The surgery can enable women to give birth naturally and urinate comfortably.
Menstruation and sexual feeling can be restored through this procedure.
The hidden damage from FGM is revealed to be extensive but repairable.
Dr. Bowers performs clitoroplasty to expose sensitive clitoral tissue and restore sexual sensation.
Sensuality and sexuality are considered basic human senses by Dr. Bowers.
The surgery aims to restore what was taken away by FGM, akin to restoring sight.
The procedure is likely to be very helpful for the patient's quality of life.
The clitoris is largely intact and can be restored through surgery.
The surgery's impact is profound, giving back a sense of self and humanity to the victims.
A growing number of women with FGM are opting for this restorative surgery.
Transcripts
might little B but that's
okay this like the first time you to do
this
Yeahs get
this is so severe that when she pees the
urine comes up through a little tiny
hole up here and then down through there
there's barely enough opening to place a
tampon barely it's bad
yeah it's Claire I'm in the Sano surgery
center with Dr Bowers right now we're
watching a clop plastic that's restoring
clitoris that has been sewn shut as a
result of
FGM FGM stands for female genital
mutilation it's a centuries old cultural
tradition that involves the forced
cutting or scraping of genitalia in
young girls most of whom live with
complications from it for the rest of
their lives this patient is among a
small but growing number of women with
FGM who are opting for a surgery to
restore their
genitalia Dr Marcy Bowers is a surgeon
and a small part of her practice is
devoted to women with FGM her first
incision will cut through the scar
tissue and expose any genitalia left
underneath so doing just a
defibrillation which is what I'm doing
right now IT addresses the problem of
the constriction and the narrowing so
you can see already normal genitalia now
you you can see how high her urethal
opening was and it was closed all the
way down to here so you can imagine why
her urine was tracking up here and going
out through exiting through
here so Dr bow has been telling me the
the benefits of this surgery one of them
is that women can give birth naturally
as opposed to C-section because the hole
is too small being able to urinate
comfortably menstrate comfortably
there's also the restoration of sexual
feeling the damage from FGM is that
everything's hidden and buried it looks
wonderful and healthy underneath so this
is why this procedure in particular for
her is likely to be very very helpful
this is her clitoris here largely intact
you see it I do
yeah what distinguishes Dr Bow's work
from other surgeons who perform
defibrillations is a procedure called
clitoroplasty in which she exposes
sensitive clitoral tissue with the aim
of restoring sexual
feeling why do you perform this surgery
it's my personal
belief that
sensuality and sexuality is one of the
basic human senses in addition to sight
sound smell touch and so you can imagine
that if someone had their sense of sight
taken from them what an outrage that
would
create so the fact that we can give that
back to someone it is
[Music]
enormous
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)