Formation of an Artificial Vagina Using Intestine

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

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Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/nz805z932

Abstract

Certain patients with congenital absence of the vagina would be greatly benefitted by an operation to correct this defect about the time of puberty. The usual operation, placing split-thickness skin grafts on a molded obturator in a preformed space for 3 to 6 months, with subsequent dilatation as necessary, is not suitable for this procedure. The use of a loop of intestine might be the procedure of choice if the problems of the previous mortality and morbidity with this method could be overcome. This procedure would also provide a connection between a possible functioning uterus and the exterior. Twenty-nine dogs and one sheep were operated on to investigate the potential of the method with modern surgical techniques and pre- and post-operative care; and also to test the effects of such an operation on fertility. There was no mortality or appreciable morbidity from the intestinal stage of the operation. However, in dogs it was found that perforation of the ileal loop occurred during copulation because of the small lumen and relatively weak wall. The results of this experiment and the experiences of others indicate that the use of an intestinal loop is a safe operative procedure; that sigmoid colon is preferable to ileum; but that, if ileum is used, a doubled loop with entero-enterostomy to form a wide lumen is a safe alternative procedure.

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