Obstructive anomalies of the gynecologic tract

Endometriosis in Adolescents with Obstructive Anomalies of the Reproductive Tract

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and course of endometriosis in adolescents with obstructive Müllerian anomalies.

METHODS

The study group involved 50 adolescents undergoing surgeries (median age 13.5 (range 11.1-18.5)) for rare obstructive malformations of the genital tract: 15 girls had anomalies associated with cryptomenorrhea and 35 were menstruating. The median follow-up period was 2.4 (ranging from 0.1 to 9.5) years.

RESULTS

We diagnosed endometriosis in 23 of the 50 subjects (46%), including 10 of the 23 patients (43.5%) with obstructed hemivagina ipsilateral renal anomaly syndrome (OHVIRAS), six of eight patients (75%) with a unicornuate uterus with a non-communicating functional horn, two of three patients (66.7%) with distal vaginal aplasia, and five of five patients (100%) with cervicovaginal aplasia. Persistent dysmenorrhea, following treatment, affected 14 of the 50 adolescents (28%), including 8 of the 17 subjects (47.1%) diagnosed with endometriosis at the time of surgical correction and six adolescents diagnosed with endometriosis during the follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Endometriosis affects about half of young adolescents undergoing surgical treatment of obstructive Müllerian anomalies after menarche. The incidence of endometriosis is highest in girls with cervical aplasia. The risk of developing endometriosis decreases after surgical correction of obstruction but is still significant in patients with uterine anomalies.

Forty-two normomenstruating adolescents with Müllerian obstructive anomalies: Presentation, pitfalls in the dagnosis and surgical management

INTRODUCTION

We analyzed the frequency, presentation and pitfalls in the diagnosis and surgical management of a large group of normomenstruating adolescents with obstructive reproductive tract anomalies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Of the 143 outpatients referred for severe dysmenorrhea and persistent pelvic pain, 42 (29.3%) young women with obstructive Müllerian anomalies and regular menstrual flow were identified. These patients were divided into four groups: (1) patients with duplicate uterine cavities, obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis (n = 34); (2) patients with unicornuate uterus and noncommunicating cavitated rudimentary horn (n = 5); (3) patients with accessory cavitated uterine mass (n = 2); (4) patients with partially obstructed transverse vaginal septum (n = 1). All 42 patients were conservatively treated via laparoscopy and 35/42 patients had also vaginal surgery.

RESULTS

Of the four groups, patients in groups 2 and 3 (n = 7) were conservatively managed by laparoscopy alone; for patients in groups 1 and 4 (n = 35), laparoscopy and the vaginal approach were used. Patients of group 1 were treated by resecting the obstructed vaginal septum with drainage of retained collections. In patients in group 2, surgery consisted of the removal of the rudimentary horn. Patients of group 3 were treated by the removal of myometrial neoformations. In the patient in group 4, treatment consisted of removal of the septum. All surgical procedures were successful and no major complications were recorded. Follow-up reports highlighted the disappearance of obstruction and clear improvement in pain symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Unilateral obstructive anomalies of the female genital tract are difficult to identify. Early diagnosis allows the preservation of reproductive activity and avoids potential complications.

Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of a Cohort with Distal Vaginal Atresia

Distal vaginal atresia is a rare abnormality of female reproductive tract in which the vagina is closed or absent. The distal vagina may be replaced by fibrous tissue and the condition is often not diagnosed until a girl fails to begin having periods at puberty. Although it is a congenital disorder, potential genetic causes of distal vaginal atresia are still unknown. We recruited a cohort of 39 patients with distal vaginal atresia and analyzed their phenotypic and genetic features. In addition to the complaint of distal vaginal atresia, approximately 17.9% (7/39) of the patients had other Müllerian anomalies, and 17.9% (7/39) of the patients had other structural abnormalities, including renal-tract, skeletal and cardiac anomalies. Using genome sequencing, we identified two fragment duplications on 17q12 encompassing HNF1B and LHX1, two dosage-sensitive genes with candidate pathogenic variants, in two unrelated patients. A large fragment of uniparental disomy was detected in another patient, affecting genes involved in cell morphogenesis and connective tissue development. Additionally, we reported two variants on TBX3 and AXL, leading to distal vaginal atresia in mutated mouse model, in our clinical subjects for the first time. Essential biological functions of these detected genes with pathogenic variants included regulating reproductive development and cell fate and patterning during embryogenesis. We displayed the comprehensive clinical and genetic characteristic of a cohort with distal vaginal atresia and they were highly heterogeneous both phenotypically and genetically. The duplication of 17q12 in our cohort could help to expand its phenotypic spectrum and potential contribution to the distal vaginal atresia. Our findings of pathogenic genetic variants and associated phenotypes in our cohort could provide evidence and new insight for further research attempting to reveal genetic causes of distal vaginal atresia.

Magnetic resonance imaging of Müllerian anomalies in girls: concepts and controversies

Female Müllerian anomalies are the result of failure of formation, fusion or resorption of the Müllerian ducts and are relatively common, with a prevalence of 5.5-7.0% in the general population. While some of these anomalies are asymptomatic, those presenting with obstruction require accurate identification for optimal clinical management including potential surgical treatment. MRI is a useful adjunct to sonography in the evaluation of Müllerian anomalies, typically allowing a more complete characterization of the malformation. Technical aspects, embryologic concepts and controversies regarding classification systems are highlighted in this review. Several Müllerian anomalies are discussed and illustrated in more detail utilizing various cases with pelvic MRI studies.

Management of partial vaginal agenesis according to the Wharton-Sheares-George technique - a long-term follow-up

The purpose of this study was to explore the long-term follow-up of treatment of congenital partial vaginal agenesis using the Wharton-Sheares-George technique. The technique was performed on 52 patients with congenital partial vaginal atresia from January 2009 to December 2017. As a result, the mean operating time of the Wharton-Sheares-George technique procedure was 25.6 ± 2.2 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 16.7 ± 4.7 mL. The average length of stay in hospital for the patients was 2.3 ± 0.2 days. There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications. The median duration of follow-up was 58 months. All of the patients experienced a resumption of menses. The mean vaginal length at 3 months was 7.3 ± 0.8 cm. Vaginal stenosis and adhesion did not occur in any cases during the follow-up. Twenty patients had sexual activities and the mean value of the FSFI questionnaire was 31.2 ± 4.0. Six cases became pregnant. There were four cases who each delivered one child and two cases who both delivered two children.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? It has been reported that the Wharton-Sheares-George technique provides, functionally and anatomically, very satisfactory results for the patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome. However, a study of the Wharton-Sheares-George technique in patients with congenital partial vaginal agenesis has not been reported previously in the medical literature.What the results of this study add? Our results have indicated that the Wharton-Sheares-George technique provides short operation time and length of stay, little blood loss intraoperatively, a satisfactory vaginal length and sexual activity in patients with congenital partial vaginal agenesis.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The study suggests that the Wharton-Sheares-George technique provides very satisfactory results in function and anatomy for congenital partial vaginal agenesis.