Long-term surgical outcome of masculinizing genitoplasty in large cohort of patients with disorders of sex development.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the results of masculinizing genitoplasty in a large cohort of patients with disorders of sex development treated at a single public tertiary center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 52 patients with 46,XY and 7 with 46,XX disorders of sex development with proximal hypospadias and genital ambiguity reared as males who had undergone surgery between 1965 and 2008. Mean +/- SD followup was 14.1 +/- 9.2 years and median age at last examination was 22 years, with 38 patients having reached adulthood. Morphological result and urinary stream were evaluated by a physician. Urinary and sexual symptoms, and satisfaction with surgical results were assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean penile length at diagnosis was compared between 46,XY patients and showed that those with 5alpha-reductase 2 deficiency had the shortest penile length (-5.4 +/- 1.2 SD). At the last clinical evaluation following surgical and hormonal treatment mean +/- SD penile length in 38 adults was 7.5 +/- 2.1 cm (range 4 to 12), corresponding to -4.3 +/- 1.3 SD (-6.5 to -1.5). All but 2 patients had penile length less than -2 SD. At that time mean penile length remained shorter in patients with 5alpha-reductase 2 deficiency (-5.4 +/- 1 SD) compared to those with testosterone production deficiency or indeterminate disorders of sex development (p <0.05). There was no statistical difference between mean penile length before and after treatment in all etiological groups (p >0.05). Morphological results were good in 43% of patients, fair in 54% and poor in 3%. The most common complications were urethral fistula (51%) and urethral stenosis (22%). Dribbling after voiding was the most frequent urinary symptom. Satisfaction with surgical results was reported by 89% of patients. Among adults 87% were sexually active, with 64% reporting normal sexual activity. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with 46,XY disorders of sex development were satisfied with long-term results of masculinizing genitoplasty, although specific complaints about small penile length, sexual activity and urinary symptoms were frequent. New surgical approaches should be developed to ensure full satisfaction in adulthood among patients with disorders of sex development.

Anatomical and functional outcomes of feminizing genitoplasty for ambiguous genitalia in patients with virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

UNLABELLED: The ideal surgical technique and appropriate age for performing feminizing genitoplasty are debatable, and few long-term outcome studies have been reported. PURPOSE: To report a retrospective study on anatomical and functional outcomes of feminizing genitoplasty in patients with virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia. METHODS: We selected 34 patients (mean age = 3.4 +/- 2.5 yr) with genital ambiguity classified according to Prader stage. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 16 years. Clitoral length ranged from 1.9 to 5.0 cm; 28 patients had a single perineal orifice, and 6 had a double orifice. The surgical technique included clitorovaginoplasty in a single procedure and was carried out before 2 years of age in 18 patients. Clitoroplasty was performed with glans preservation in all patients. Blood supply was exclusively maintained by the frenular pedicle in 97% of the cases, whereas clitoral dorsal nerves and vessels were preserved in the remaining 3%. The opening of the urogenital sinus was performed using either the Y-V perineal flap procedure (25 patients) or the cut-back incision procedure (8 patients). RESULTS: Good morphological and functional results were achieved in 68% of the patients; 21% of the patients had surgical complications, such as incision bleeding (2 cases), glans necrosis (1 girl with Prader V), and vaginal introitus stenosis (4 cases). Three of the latter underwent dilation with acrylic molds in the post-pubertal period with good functional results. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that single-stage feminizing genitoplasty consisting of vulvoplasty, clitoroplasty, and Y-V perineal flap produced good cosmetic and functional results in virilized girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, with few complications. In addition, this surgical approach prevented the need for neovaginaplasty even in patients with high vaginal insertion.