[Congenital vaginal atresia: report of 16 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features of congenital vaginal atresia (CVA) with normal uterine corpus and investigate the relationship between the subtypes and management. METHODS: Sixteen cases, partical atresia (type I) 10 and complete atresia (type II) 6, treated in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, during the past 16 years, were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Patients with type I CVA had an earlier onset of symptoms [(13.0 +/- 1.1) years of age], duration of [(3.5 +/- 2.4) months], greater pelvic masses [(7.7 +/- 3.0) cm in diameter] with lower location as compared with type II CVA [(15.5 +/- 3.4) years of age, 24.0 months, (5.3 +/- 1.0) cm in diameter, P < 0.01]. Distal colpoplasty was performed on 10 type I cases and vaginal mold was placed postoperatively. Dysmenorrhea relieved in all cases during median 21 month follow-up. Vaginal dilatation was done in 4 cases due to readhesion and constriction. One out of the 2 married patients delivered viable neonate by cesarean section. Three out of 6 type II patients were complicated with either endometriosis or hematosalpinx or double uterus. Hysterectomy with or without colpoplasty was done. While the other 3 underwent colpoplasty and cervical canalization. Only 2 had menses after operation, but 1 of the developed dysmenorrhea, ovarian endometrioma and was treated surgically again, the other 1 had hypomenorrhea. CONCLUSION: Patients with type I CVA had better outcomes after colpoplasty if they persist on placing vaginal mold. While for type II CVA, hysterectomy usually needed in most cases.