title: A new era for treating vaginal aplasia using transretropubic balloon vaginoplasty approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a novel surgical alternative for formation of a neovagina in patients with vaginal aplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Technique and instrumentations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A specialized endoscopic surgery center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with complete vaginal aplasia, three of them without a uterus and one with a functioning uterus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A silicone Foley catheter sutured to the distal end of a sharp curved needle with a wide eye attached to a plastic handle and passed extraperitoneally into the space of Retzius followed by its inflation and upward traction for 8 days. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) follow-up were done.
  
  
  METHODS
  Operative time, complication rate, tolerability of traction and retraction, reintervention rate, width and length of the newly formed vagina, and postoperative feasibility of intravaginal sexual intercourse for married cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results were satisfactory (normal length and width of neovagina), without complications and with acceptable tolerability and normal sexual life within 8-10 days postoperatively for the married women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both clinical and MRI follow-up confirmed that retropubic balloon vaginoplasty is a simple, fast, tolerable, safe, and available extraperitoneal procedure. It can be easily done by any gynecologist having basic knowledge of the anatomy of the retropubic space.
authors.affiliation: Woman's Health University Center, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. atef_darwish@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Atef Mohammad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.forename: Ahmad Mostafa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mohammad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002404:Catheterization; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009339:Needles; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult