title: Treatment of vaginal atresia at a missionary hospital in Bangladesh: results and followup of 20 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report a 9-year experience with successful treatment of patients with vaginal atresia at a missionary hospital with decreased facilities in Bangladesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1995 to 2002, 20 patients 10 to 29 years old (average age 18.4) with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome underwent total vaginal replacement. Ten of the 20 females were married and the anomaly was discovered after marriage. In the remaining 10 cases the diagnosis was suspected by the parents because of absent menstruation. In all patients the neovagina was created using a 12 to 14 cm segment of distal sigmoid colon.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Short-term morbidity was minimal. At the long-term followup, which was available for 16 patients, the neovagina had a good-appearing introitus. No stenosis, stones or colitis was reported. Six patients already had an active sexual life, which was reported to be satisfactory. Five couples had already adopted 1 or more children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Good perioperative preparation and assistance, assurance of cyclical followup and a trained surgical team permitted successful treatment of a complex genital malformation at a missionary hospital with modest services. Sigmoid vaginoplasty in a developing country seems to be the best choice because of simple management and followup. Young women unable to procreate because of vaginal atresia seem to have an unexpected normal family and social acceptance in Bangladesh after complete vaginal replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Rossi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attanasio
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Curto
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Castro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities; D014621:Vagina / Q000002:abnormalities*