Neovaginoplasty using amniotic membrane in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

PURPOSE: to evaluate the results of neovaginoplasty with the use of a human amniotic graft in patients with the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. METHODS: the study was a retrospective analysis of a series of 28 patients with the MRKH syndrome conducted from 1990 to 2003. The patients were attended and treated at the Ambulatório de Ginecologia Infanto-Puberal (AGIP) of the Hospital Universitário of the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto of the Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), being submitted to neovaginoplasty by the technique of McIndoe and Bannister, modified by the use of a human amniotic membrane graft. Epithelization, amplitude and depth of the neovaginas were evaluated 7 and 40 days after the procedure. Patient satisfaction was determined during the late postoperative period in terms of the presence of discomfort and dyspareunia during sexual relations. RESULTS: postoperatively, seven patients (25%) presented vaginal stenosis and six of them were submitted to a new surgical intervention, one had shortening of the neovagina, corrected with the use of exercises with a vaginal mold, three (10.7%) developed a rectovaginal fistula, one (3.6%) a uterovesical fistula, and one (3.6%) excess skin in the vaginal introitus – all successfully corrected with surgery. Four patients (14.3%) presented urinary tract infection. Two months after surgery, 11/19 patients (57.8%) presented satisfactory sexual activity and 42% dyspareunia, and within a maximum period of four years, 20/21 patients (95.2%) had satisfactory sexual activity and 4.8% dyspareunia. CONCLUSIONS: an amniotic membrane graft is a good option for the treatment of vaginal agenesis. Perioperative follow-up involves educational guidance regarding the use of the mold and regarding patient sexuality in order to reduce the complaints of dysfunctional coitus in the presence of a favorable surgical evolution and a neovagina of adequate aspect.