Gender Affirming Surgery In Philadelphia
Dr. Kathy L. Rumer is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon in the Philadelphia tri-state area who has deep experience with gender reassignment surgery and a practice that is geared exclusively toward transgender patients. In addition to performing hundreds of gender-affirming procedures each year, Dr. Rumer also directs a 1-year gender surgery fellowship program. Dr. Rumer performs the full range of gender surgery procedures, including:
- Gender-affirming Vaginoplasty
- Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS)
- Top Surgery, Metoidioplasty and Abdominal Phalloplasty
Dr. Rumer’s superior surgical skills, coupled with her extensive formal education have made her a highly sought after surgeon.
Dr. Rumer is board certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgeons (AOBS) and is also a member of:
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
- American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (FACOS)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
Dr. Rumer’s academic background in both science and art give her unique abilities in attaining natural looking results. Her education includes:
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine – Philadelphia College Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
- Experience as an Aerospace Engineer, member of various NASA satellite/Space Shuttle launch teams
- Formal education in Fine Arts and Engineering
- BS, Applied Mathematics – Ursinus College
Additionally, Dr. Rumer has been named “Top Doc” annually since 2008 by Main Line Today magazine, and “Top Doc” by Philadelphia Magazine, as voted by her peers. She was named “Surgical Intern of the Year” during her General Surgery Residency at PCOM, and “Nation Fellow of the Year” in her Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship. She was the Chief Resident in both her General Surgery Residency and her Plastic Surgery Fellowship Programs at PCOM.
Dr. Rumer’s latest research is focused on the outcomes, complications and risk factors for patients undergoing Penile Inversion Vaginoplasty.
Dr. Rumer performs gender confirmation surgeries at Crozer Health’s Taylor Hospital. She has additional privileges at Bryn Mawr Hospital and Lankeneau Hospital.
Dr. Rumer achieves natural-looking surgical results by focusing on the individual–their anatomy, surgery goals, and lifestyle. During your consultation, Dr. Rumer and her highly qualified staff will clarify each step of the process for you, and discuss all the options available to you. Her customized approach helps to ensure your complete satisfaction.
MTF Surgery
Dr. Rumer excels at MTF sex reassignment surgery, specifically a one-stage modified Penile Inversion method of Vaginoplasty, performing 200-250 of these surgeries per year. She’s able to achieve excellent depth, function and sensation with this procedure, and her technique does not require hair removal before or after surgery.
Hahnemann University Hospital Urology Resident Dr. Jason Levy presenting at WPATH 2018 on Outcomes of 240 patients of Dr. Kathy Rumer undergoing Vaginoplasty from November 2016 to April 2018.
Overall incidence of reoperation/revision was 7.9% (n=19). Reasons for reoperation included cosmesis (3.8%; n=9), neovaginal stenosis (2.1%; n=5), and wound dehiscence, (0.8%; n=2), with less than 0.5% (n=1) reoperations for meatal stenosis, hematoma or rectovaginal fistula, respectively. Risk factors: only noncompliance with postoperative dilation regimen and activity restriction was significantly associated with increased risk of complications or reoperation/revision.
Facial Feminization Surgery
Dr. Rumer has extensive experience with Facial Feminization Surgery, or FFS, a group of procedures that naturally feminize a patient’s face. FFS procedures can include:
- Hairline Advancement
- Browlift
- Forehead Contouring
- Orbital Rim Contouring
- Eyelid Surgery
- Cheek Augmentation
- Rhinoplasty
- Upper Lip Lift
- Chin Augmentation
- Neck Lift
- Face Lift
- Tracheal Shave
- Fat Grafting
- Laser Skin Resurfacing
- Injectable Fillers
Which procedures are right for you will depend on your goals and facial structure. During your consult with Dr. Rumer, she will do a complete evaluation and customize a surgical approach to help you get the results you seek.
MTF Breast Augmentation
Dr. Rumer’s MTF Breast Augmentation procedure is designed to enlarge the breasts and provide a feminine chest contour. Breast implants can be positioned either behind the breast tissue or partially or completely under the chest muscles. The incisions are discreet. At your consult, Dr. Rumer will discuss the type and size of the breast implants and surgical methods with you. Your preferences, your anatomy and Dr. Rumer’s recommendation will all factor into the chosen approach.
Other surgical procedures available for transgender women:
- Body Contouring – liposuction, fat grafting
- Orchiectomy
- Labiaplasty
- Buttock Augmentation
- Hair Grafting using advanced Follicular Unit Extraction technology
To complement her surgical work, Dr. Rumer also offers advanced aesthetic procedures to help maximize surgery results, or to provide non-surgical options when surgery is not the answer. Non-surgical procedures available for transgender women include injectibles like Botox, Juvederm, Radiesse, or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).
FTM Top Surgery
Dr. Rumer performs at least 150 Top Surgeries a year and can provide patients with a natural appearing, male-contoured chest. Dr. Rumer gets excellent results using one of the three primary methods along with customized techniques: Double Incision with nipple grafts, Peri-areolar or Keyhole. To determine the approach, Dr. Rumer will discuss with you your surgery goals and the options best suited to your anatomy at your consult.
Note: Dr. Rumer uses drains for Double Incision Top Surgery but not for Peri-areolar or Keyhole. Compression garments are worn for 3 weeks post-op.
Watch Jude’s Top Surgery Experience:
FTM Bottom Surgery
Dr. Rumer offers both Metoidioplasty and Phalloplasty. Associated procedures such as Hysterectomy, Vaginectomy and Mons Resection are also offered through Dr. Rumer’s colleagues.
- Simple Meta, with testicular implants;
- Full Metoidioplasty, with vaginectomy, urethroplasty and testicular implants.
- Phalloplasty: Abdominal Phalloplasty, with scrotoplasty and testicular implants.
Additional masculinizing surgeries offered: Body Sculpting, Facial Masculinization and Hair Grafting.
Consultations with Dr. Rumer
Dr. Rumer is available for in-person consultations, phone consultations, and Skype consultations. An in-person consultation is not required prior to booking surgery. The consultation fee of $100 will be applied towards your procedure.
Wait List
Wait time for surgery varies but typically range from 2-4 months.
Financing and Insurance
Credit cards, checks and cash are accepted. Dr. Rumer also accepts insurance from multiple insurance companies. Financing is available from multiple surgery financing companies, such as CareCredit. Dr. Rumer also accepts Pennsylvania Medicaid and is an approved out-of-state Medicaid provider for Connecticut. Dr. Rumer does not accept Medicare.
Surgery Requirements
Dr. Rumer follows WPATH guidelines for surgery, as well as mammography protocols of the American Cancer Society.
- Medical evaluation by primary MD or MD providing hormones
- Letter of recommendation from a psychologist or other mental health professional
- Mammograms prior to Top Surgery are required (a normal baseline mammogram) for patients 40 years old or older who DO NOT have a family history of breast cancer, and for patients 35 years of age or older who DO have a family history of breast cancer.
