The Garramone Center
Before FTM Top Surgery Information
At The Garramone Center, Dr. Garramone performs the FTM Top Surgery & FTN Top Surgery Procedure for patients who identify as transgender female to male, gender neutral, gender variant, lesbian, pangender, and female. We just require a recommendation letter from your physician or therapist. You may find a link to a standardized form for referral at the bottom of this page.
Before scheduling a surgery with Dr. Garramone, there are several things that must be done. We have listed the steps below to help you organize and plan your surgery inquiry as follows:
Before Your Surgery
1. Setup a phone call by calling (954) 752-7842
Setup a complimentary no-cost phone call for the FTM & FTN Top Surgery Procedure with Dr. Garramone by contacting our office at (954)752-7842 or email us directly at frontdesk@drgarramone.com
You will need a referral from your primary medical team to travel to Florida to have surgery. You can download the form “Surgery Referral Form” in the blue column on the right under Required Forms.
2. Send Photos of your chest or body
After you have setup your phone call for the FTM Top Surgery & FTN Top Surgery Procedure, we will tell you the email address for you to send photos of your chest. You will be required to send photos from the front of your body. Only send photos if you are over 18 years of age (DO NOT SEND PHOTOS IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE).
3. Your telephone call
Dr. Garramone will contact you by telephone on your scheduled FTM Top Surgery phone call appointment date (if you are calling from outside the United States or Canada, you are required to call us on your scheduled appointment date, we will not make international calls to you).
4. Schedule a FTM Top Surgery & FTN Top Surgery date
After your phone call, Dr. Garramone will discuss the treatment options that you are a candidate for with the FTM Top Surgery & FTN Top Surgery Procedure. At this time he will let you speak with our office staff and you may schedule a in-person consultation and FTM Top Surgery date.
5. Send us a signed copy of the Financial Policy and a copy of a Government issued Photo Identification or Passport
After scheduling your surgical date, our office will email you a pre-operative packet containing useful information and our Financial Policy. You are required to send back to us a signed copy of the Financial Policy and a copy of a Government issued Photo Identification or Passport. A Birth Certificate copy may be necessary.
6. Send us a Letter of Referral for FTM Top Surgery Surgery
We will need a signed copy of the Letter of Referral for FTM Top Surgery Transgender Surgery from your therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or Primary Care Physician.
7. Get Medical Clearance and Lab Work
When you have scheduled your FTM Top Surgery with the non-refundable reservation fee, we will then send you an email for necessary lab work and medical clearance for surgery. You are required to have this done within 30 days of the date of your scheduled FTM Top Surgery.
8. Complete final payment is due four weeks prior to surgery
Final payment is due four weeks prior to surgery. We accept Zelle, all major credit cards, certain medical loan payments, or cash. We do not accept Personal Checks or medical insurance.
9. Setup your travel plans
After scheduling your surgery, you should look into finding a hotel, renting a car, and scheduling airline travel. Most patients fly into Fort Lauderdale International Airport, as this is closest to our office.
- Transportation: If you need transportation from the airport to your hotel or to the surgery center, many patients use Uber.com.
- Traveling From Outside the U.S. & Canada?: If you are traveling from outside the United States & Canada, you are required to purchase a temporary cell phone or have a SIM card with a U.S. based telephone number.
- We recommend staying at a local hotel. Most patients stay in town for about 6 to 8 days on average at a local hotel or with friends. We usually do not give recommendations for places to stay, as there are hundreds of options for you to stay during your visit here in South Florida. Many patients stay close to Ft. Lauderdale beach so they can enjoy our beautiful coastlines and beaches during their stay.
- Many patients use the rental site www.airbnb.com to find great deals on weekly rentals.
10. Arrange to have someone travel with you or hire a Nurse
- If you are traveling alone and require Nursing care after your surgery, we can help you arrange this for your surgery date.
- Dr. Garramone requires all patients, for the first 24 hours, to have someone with them at all time. This can be a hired nurse, friend, or family member. You cannot be left alone during the first 24 hours, and if the person responsible to be with you during this time period is unable to fulfill this requirement, then you will need to hire a private Home Healthcare Agency to care for you. You must have direct “one on one” supervision by someone dedicated to only your care, not to the care of multiple people at the same time. This means this person must be in the same room as you for the first 24 hours continuously, and not leave you alone for any reason or any period of time.
- We do not recommend staying with someone you do not know, but in the event you do, do not assume they will provide adequate after surgery care and direct “one on one” monitoring of you. Do not assume any medical advice they give you is reliable, even if they claim to have professional experience. You will need to hire a Home Healthcare Agency even in these situations.
- If you are traveling alone or with someone who is unable to provide adequate Home Healthcare for you during your recovery, we can arrange for Professional Home Healthcare Agency to assist you.
- Our office will only refer you to a verified Home Healthcare Staff Service operating with a business license in the State of Florida. These Home Healthcare Services operate under the guidelines of the State of Florida, and staff their own Professional Home Healthcare workers.
11. HIPAA Privacy Protection
Remember, we take you privacy seriously. We cannot speak with family or friends unless they are on the “allowed to talk to list” created by you. You must complete a HIPAA release form found here.
About Our Services
The Week of Surgery
Most patients arrive in town about a day or two before surgery. You will meet with Dr. Garramone in his office for your pre-operative appointment where he will discuss the FTM Top Surgery details with you. The surgery is usually done the next day. About one week after surgery, we have you follow up in the office for your post-operative visit. Your bandages will be removed and Dr. Garramone will teach you how to care for your chest over the next few weeks while it heals. At this time it should be okay for you to travel home
Be Aware
If you ever suspect any organization or business or individual is misrepresenting themselves as an affiliate of our office, providing medical advice on behalf of our office, dissuading you from following Dr. Garramone’s medical instructions, if you believe someone has referred you to a suspicious business, or if you believe someone or another Doctors Office is giving you misinformation about our practice please email our Office Manager
Required Forms (click to download)
Helpful Forms (click to download)
You Can Do This, It's Easy
Mostly, all of our FTM Top Surgery patients stay in local Hotels of their choice, arrange for their own transportation without any difficulty, and if needed, will hire a Professional Home Healthcare Agency to assist them with their after surgery care. All of this at very affordable prices with a verified business in the State of Florida.
Your FTM Top Surgery & FTN Top Surgery Journey Starts Here
Flexible appointments and in-person consultations.
Or call us at (954) 752-7842