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. 2022 Aug;33(8):2185-2193.
doi: 10.1007/s00192-022-05150-4. Epub 2022 Mar 21.

Neovaginoplasty with tilapia fish skin: a series of eleven cases

Ana Talya Soares Torres  1 , Barbara Bezerra Lopes  1 , Amanda Madureira Silva  1 , Maria Tereza Pinto Medeiros Dias  2 , Zenilda Vieira Bruno  1   2 , Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes  1 , Edmar Maciel Lima Junior  3 , Manoel Odorico de Moraes Filho  4 , Carlos Roberto Koscky Paier  1 , Felipe Augusto Rocha Rodrigues  5 , Leonardo Robson Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra  6   7
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Neovaginoplasty with tilapia fish skin: a series of eleven cases

Ana Talya Soares Torres et al. Int Urogynecol J. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome affects about 1 in 5000 live female births and is associated with gonadal dysgenesis and primary amenorrhea. Neovaginoplasty has been established as an appropriate treatment option for patients who have failed or denied dilation therapy. In search of accessible, economical material with low risk of complications, the team proposed the use of Nile tilapia fish skin (NTFS) as an innovative biomaterial in the neovaginoplasty procedure for vaginal agenesis management. NTFS has noninfectious microbiota, morphologic structure comparable to human skin and high in vivo bioresorption.

Methods: In this descriptive study, the method offered an anatomical and functional neovagina to 11 patients efficiently, quickly and safely. Correct post-surgical dilation is still extremely important to keep the neovagina's size > 6 cm.

Results: Histological and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the formation of a stratified squamous epithelium with strong marking for cytokeratins, FGF and EGFR, similar to healthy adult vaginal tissue.

Conclusions: Since NTFS is a low cost and easily accessible biomaterial, this technique proves to be an inexpensive therapeutic possibility for the health system with excellent advantages for patients.

Keywords: Biomaterial; Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome; Neovagina; Nile Tilapia fish skin; Vaginal agenesis; Vaginoplasty.

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References

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