Korean J Urol.
2003 Mar;44(3):290-293.
Neovaginoplasty Using Sigmoid Colon in Patient with Male Pseudo-hermaphroditism
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Urology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. urohan@cmc.
cuk.ac.kr
- 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Abstract
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Gender assignment is the most important step in treating a child with ambiguous genitalia. Once an appropriate sex assignment has been made, the next critical step is the performance of a reconstructive procedure in a timely fashion. The aim of vaginoplasty should be the creation of a neovagina that will have a satisfying appearance, function and feeling, with a low rate of morbidity. Different forms of vaginal reconstruction have been described, and include the use of split-thickness or full-thickness grafts, amnion, peritoneum or bowel. Of these, vaginal reconstruction, with isolated bowel segments, provides a cosmetic, self-lubricating neovagina, with low rates of failure and revision, and without the need for routine dilation. Sigmoid vaginoplasty especially seems to have a clear advantage, with an excellent surgical success rate, and low complication rates. We report our initial experience of a neovaginoplasty, using sigmoid colon, in a 10-year old patient with an incomplete form of androgen insensitivity syndrome (Reifenstein syndrome).