Passerini-glazel feminizing genitoplasty: a long-term followup study

Abstract

Purpose: We report our experience with early 1-stage Passerini-Glazel feminizing genitoplasty with special emphasis on long-term results of vaginoplasty.

Materials and methods: A total of 66 patients with ambiguous genitalia underwent 1-stage Passerini-Glazel feminizing genitoplasty. Long-term followup included an outpatient visit at 1 year postoperatively and a genital assessment with the patient under general anesthesia performed before menarche courses in those operated on at age 6 months to 8 years, and at 2 years postoperatively for those operated on at 9 years or older.

Results: All patients underwent the first long-term followup evaluation and no major complications were observed. The second long-term followup evaluation was performed in 46 patients (70%). In all cases the vaginal introitus was located in the physiological position and was large and elastic. Vaginal caliber at the suture line between the tubularized flap and vaginal mucosa was the same size as the vaginal introitus and distal native vagina in 20 of 46 patients (43%), slightly smaller in 10 (22%) and stenotic in 16 (35%). Stenosis at the suture line was corrected with simple Y-V introitoplasty performed at the same followup visit.

Conclusions: Early 1-stage Passerini-Glazel feminizing genitoplasty is a safe and effective procedure that allows total surgical correction of ambiguous genitalia in infancy and good cosmetic results. Incidence of vaginal stenosis at the suture line is high but it can be repaired with simple introitoplasty performed before menarche occurs. Good functional results are presumed.