Praxis für Plastische Chirurgie Dr. med. Britta von Stumberg
Here at my plastic surgery clinic in Zurich, I specialize in treating patients suffering from gender dysphoria who identify as female-to-male transgender or nonbinary. I perform mastectomies (breast removal) with the goal of giving patients the most masculine-looking torso possible. Natural-looking results are one of my top priorities, as is minimizing scarring. To perform the procedure, I will need a letter of referral from a psychiatrist or psychologist who has been treating you for some time.
Hormone therapy isn’t strictly necessary before a mastectomy. As part of your personal treatment consultation, I will take photos of your torso and send them to your insurance provider along with your psychiatrist’s/psychologist’s letter of referral. I will also examine you to rule out any contraindications that would make surgery inadvisable. Generally speaking, no other before-care measures are necessary.
I don’t perform mastectomies on patients whose general health would make it too risky, so I do a thorough examination before scheduling any procedure. Mastectomies are also inadvisable for patients with inflammation or injuries in the treatment area. Other contraindications include allergies to anesthesia or severe illnesses. During your personal consultation, I will go over any potential contraindications and work with you to determine a treatment plan that’s right for you.
1. If you are a patient with Swiss insurance, you can call my assistant to arrange an appointment during my office hours. You can reach us at 044 320 04 34.
2. At your consultation, we’ll discuss the mastectomy process in detail, including preparing for surgery, the operation itself, anesthesia, hospitalization, and any potential risks and complications associated with treatment.
3. The photos I take at my clinic will be sent to your health insurance provider along with your psychological/psychiatric letter of referral, as part of a request for cost coverage.
4. Once the insurance company has agreed to cover the costs, we will meet up in my office again and plan your operation. It generally takes between one and eight weeks for insurance providers to respond.
5. We work with two hospitals when performing mastectomies – the operation will be scheduled at either the Zuger Kantonsspital in Baar or the Limmatklinik in Zurich.
6. I can schedule operations relatively quickly, taking your individual circumstances into account.
7. Most patients require adaptive liposuction for optimum results, though you will need to cover those expenses out-of-pocket.
1. Please email me at dr.von.stumberg@hin.ch so that we can discuss the procedure in writing. To plan your mastectomy, I’ll also need a photo of your torso and a letter of referral from your treating psychiatrist or psychologist.
2. Next, we‘ll discuss the important details of the mastectomy process via telephone or email, including the operation itself, anesthesia, aftercare, and hospitalization, along with the potential risks and complications.
3. Together, we’ll plan your operation at the Limmatklinik in Zurich or the Zuger Kantonsspital.
4. Find out in advance whether your health insurance will cover the cost of an operation in Switzerland. If not, you will need to cover those expenses, which I of course will be happy to tell you about beforehand—if you like, I can email you a complete cost estimate. The total amount is due four weeks before your scheduled operation.
5. I can schedule operations relatively quickly, taking your individual circumstances into account.