18-year-old girl gets artificial vagina

CHANDIGARH: A team of gynaecologists including Dr Alka Sehgal, consultant and plastic surgeon from Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, (GMCH) operated upon an 18-year-old girl and created an artificial vagina.
The doctors shared that the girl was misdiagnosed, and treated inadequately by medical teams outside before she came to GMCH-32 complaining of pain in her lower abdomen.

The doctors shared that on investigation, it was found that the girl had no vagina and suffered from 'vaginal agenesis'. However, her other reproductive organs including uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes were intact. The incidence of this birth defect is approximately one in every five to six thousand. Unable to discharge her monthly menstrual blood, it was being collected in her uterus affecting her fallopian tubes. The advanced complications of the state would be 'endometriosis' leading to infertility.

Explaining further, Dr Alka said that for creating artificial vagina, one can take a skin graft. "In the present case, skin graft was taken by plastic surgeons from thighs of the patient for creating artificial vagina. Since the patient herself is the donor, it prevented infection from another patient. The procedure is called 'vaginoplasty'."

Dr Mitesh Bedi, a plastic surgeon who has recently joined GMCH-32, helped the gynaecologist in taking a clean graft of appropriate thickness and size.

"The girl has been discharged with excellent post-operative outcome and will continue to be on follow-up for further advice and check up," Dr Alka said.