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Of course it would be cheaper to only do the trach shave instead of full FFS.
I’m in a similar boat as you, I have a consult with a surgeon in a few months. I definitely want the trach shave, and there’s a few other procedures I’m going to ask about.
If you know you want the trach shave and FFS, it is probably cheaper to do them all at once, and means one less time going under anesthesia too.
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It all depends on what insurance you have- some will cover, some won’t. I want to say the cost would be roughly $4-5k if your insurance doesn’t cover, but that’s super rough.
You really need to do your own initial legwork in researching surgeons. There’s hundreds of docs in the US that do them, you can start by looking at the ones in your state (through google or the wiki here).
Yes, many VFS surgeons will do a trach shave and in fact, I would only get a trach shave done by a VFS surgeon - there are a lot of people who have ended up with permanent voice damage after having a trach shave done. You don't have to get VFS done at the same time if you don't want to.
Hey I wanted to comment on this and FULLY AGREE to go to a voice specialist surgeon if you only want to get a trach shave done.
I had a trachea shave done by facial team back in July '19 and my voice is permanently damaged from it. The surgery is more risky than a lot of surgeons let on.
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I don't know about pricing but I'd imagine? You can probably get VFS later even post-trach-shave as long as you tell them that it's an option you're considering, thought I don't 100% know tbh
According to Dr. Haben in NY, it is best to have both surgeries performed simultaneously, because he can actually make your voice higher in the process. You will also save some money regarding anesthesia and traveling.
Tracheal shave costs somewhere around $5,000 in the United States. The prices vary depending on the area and that is of course not including hospital and anesthesiologist fees. It's a fairly simple outpatient procedure that normally takes less than an hour to complete. Recovery is quick and simple with minimal discomfort present within the first 48 hours. Pain killers will be prescribed just in case but basic Tylenol will be more than enough to manage any pain you experience.
FFS is leagues more expensive, ranging anywhere from $25,000 to $60,000. So yes, a tracheal shave alone is undoubtedly less expensive.
From what I've seen there is a very small incidence of complications with tracheal shave, usually when it is done by an FFS surgeon rather than by a voice and throat surgeon (an ENT doc). I think it is the most common issue that I read about with FFS (I very rarely hear about any complications from FFS, but when I do its voice related, or the surgeon "didnt do enough").
My FFS surgeon referred me out to an ENT for my laryngeal cartilage reduction (a more accurate name for it, the trachea is 2in below the Adam's apple) because it is less risky if done by an ENT, and this ENT has done lots of them for transwomen.
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"Ear nose and throat", it's a specialty for doctors n surgeons who work on the neck, head, sinuses, etc.
ENTs do things like correcting scars on vocal folds (among other things), part of my LCR will be to reduce a scar on one of my vocal chords.
I'm going to Dr. Joshua Schindler at OHSU for that.
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I get that, its overwhealming. Understanding all of the parts for surgery and what's best for you takes a lot of time, be patient with yourself. There is hope ahead :).
Bless this thread. Bless this wiki. Bless this subreddit. I’ve been feeling SO OVERWHELMED with trying to find a surgeon, but these breakdowns help put things into perspective and flesh out what my questions/concerns actually are and from there I can (with medical professionals) work out how to best minimise risk.
It’s giving: I want a craniofacial and maxillofacial surgeon for forehead and jaw work, who also does FFS. If they’re an ENS too, great, if not, I’ll likely go to one for the “Adam’s apple” surgery and VFS, but I wanna do vocal lessons before seriously considering VFS.
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