[Results of genitoplasty for virilized genitalia of 41 females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: The results of genitoplasty performed at our clinic for 41 female patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) were reviewed.

PATIENTS: Among 57 females with CAH (56 with 21-hydroxylase deficiency and 1 with 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency) diagnosed between 1961 and 1995, 41 underwent genitoplasty. For the rest of 16 patients, 1 received already clitorectomy, 11 (19%) needed no surgical reconstruction, 2 died before surgery, and 2 are in a waiting list for surgery.

RESULTS: According to Prader's classification of virilized genitalia, 41 patients who received surgery included 8 of type I, 10 of type II, 17 of type III, and 4 of type IV. There was no patients of type V, and 2 were not classified because of previous surgery. Four patients underwent genitoplasty 7 times in total before visiting us. The age receiving initial genitoplasty at our clinic ranged from one year and 9 months to 20 years (median: 4 years and 5 months). Follow-up period averaged 17 years with the range of 2 months to 33 years. For enlarged clitoris, clitorectomy (amputation of clitoris) was carried out for 22 patients before 1975 and corporal resection for 17 after 1975. Two patients manifested recurrence of clitoromegaly after the surgery because of either incomplete resection of the clitoris or patient's ignorance of taking glucocorticoid regularly. Thirty-six patients needed labiovaginoplasty. Simple midline cutback was performed for 6 patients and Y-V plasty (skin flap labiointroitoplasty) for 30. Vaginal orifice was not identified in 5 patients at the initial surgery. Two patients received successful second introitoplasty at the older age than 10. Post-operative stenosis of vaginal orifice was confirmed in 6 patients and 3 underwent second introitoplasty. Among 23 patients older than 25 years at present, 7 got married and 4 raised 6 children with assistance of Caesarian section.

CONCLUSIONS: Most of female patients with CAH needed genital plastic surgery including clitoroplasty and labiovaginoplasty. Corporal resection for enlarged clitoris with sufficient hormone therapy brought a satisfactory result. Y-V plasty for labiovaginoplasty proved to be an excellent method, especially from cosmetic viewpoint, but remained some problems as one stage operation including difficult identification of vaginal orifice and post-operative stenosis of introitus in some patients.