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Dr. Sumanas Jordan is an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery and the founding director of Northwestern Medicine’s Gender Pathways Program. She has been performing gender-affirming surgeries at Northwestern Medicine since 2018.

The Gender Pathways Program is “committed to providing gender-affirming care to transgender and gender nonbinary patients.” A 2020 Northwestern Now article says the program “offers feminizing and masculinizing facial, top and bottom surgeries, as well as connections for hormone therapy, primary care, preventative health screenings and laser hair removal.”

Dr. Jordan was the lead author of a study released in September 2022, titled “Top Surgery and Chest Dysphoria Among Transmasculine and Nonbinary Adolescents and Young Adults.” The study sought to answer the question: “Does gender-affirming top surgery improve chest dysphoria, gender congruence, and body image in transmasculine and nonbinary adolescents and young adults?”

The participants in the study ranged in age from 13 to 24, with an average age of 18. In a Chicago Tribune article about the study, Dr. Jordan states:

“Our findings are that top surgery (to remove the breasts) benefits these teenagers and young adults.”

She adds that she does not believe all teens should be required to delay these life-altering surgeries until age 18:

“If you had any other medical conditions where you said, ‘I’m not going to treat your diabetes or high blood pressure until you’re 18’ or ‘I’m going to hold off on treating you for years,’ it’s not ethical to withhold care for that long.” 

In a Northwestern Medicine press release, Dr. Jordan states:

“Patients who choose gender-affirming top surgery feel better about their bodies, and it enhances their quality of life. Our hope is that this study will now be used as a resource for teens, young adults and for families who want to learn more about surgical transition options.” 

Dr. Jordan’s biography states that she “welcomes all gender identities and offers top surgery, vaginoplasty, and phalloplasty for transgender and non-binary individuals.”

 

Published – October 12, 2022