True Hermaphroditism

Jeong, Moon Kee; Yoon, Jong Byung

Abstract

True hermaphroditism is one of the rare congenital anomalies. Additional four cases of this anomaly are added to the 2 cases which were reported previously from the Dept. of Urology, Busan National University Hospital. Clinical review was performed about these 6 cases. The results were as follows; 1. The incidence of true hermaphroditism is 0.17% in 3,456 uro1ogicaladnrissions from Jan. 1964 to Mar. 1982, 1.6% in 380 admissions with congenital anomalies of the external genitalia and 25% in 24 admissions with hypospadias and cryptorchism during this period. 2. Hypospadias and cryptorchisrn are found in 6 cases, bifid scrotum 3 cases, and labioscrotal folds in 2 cases. Roentgenograms of retrograde urethrography were available in 4 cases and revealed blind vaginal pouch in 3 cases. Among these 3 cases, one had patent fallopian tube at the cephalad end of the pouch. The other one had well developed vagina and the uterus with patent fallopian tube. 3. The genital ducts were developed ipsilaterally in 9 gonads composed of pure testicular or ovarian tissues but developed to those of male pattern in 3 gonads containing the ovarian and testicular tissues. Among these 3 cases two cases did not have the vas deferens. 4. Of 6 gonads containing the testicular tissues, two were in the scrotum, 2 in inguinal and remained 2 were in the peritoneal cavity. Of gonads containing the ovarian tissues, seven were in the peritoneal cavity and one in the retroperitoneum. 5. Sex chromatin was positive in 3 cases, negative in 3 cases. 6. Of 5 cases who had been reared as male, two were assigned to female, one to male and remained 2 were not decided the sex. The other who had been reared as female was assigned to female. 7. The type of true hermaphroditism is lateral in 3 cases (Type I)and unilateral in 3 cases (Type IIIb 2 cases, Type IIIa I case)by the classification of Jones and Scott.