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True hermaphrodite: very unusual type
Yifru Berhan1, Be-ede Lemma, Wondwossen Ergete
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tikur Anbessa Hospital, P.O. Box 23558, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Medical Journal
|August 10, 2006
Summary
This case report details an unusual true hermaphrodite diagnosed late in life. The individual presented with infertility and lack of ejaculation, despite having both ovarian and testicular tissue without ambiguous genitalia.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
Background:
- True hermaphroditism is a rare disorder of sexual differentiation.
- It involves the presence of both ovarian and testicular tissue within the same individual.
- This condition often presents with ambiguous genitalia, though variations exist.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report an atypical case of true hermaphroditism.
- To highlight the diagnosis in an adult presenting with infertility and ejaculatory dysfunction.
- To emphasize the occurrence of true hermaphroditism without ambiguous external genitalia.
Main Methods:
- Case study analysis.
- Surgical exploration for undescended testis.
- Gross and histological examination of gonadal and reproductive tissues.
Main Results:
- A 25-year-old patient was diagnosed with true hermaphroditism.
- The patient possessed a left ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, and a descended left testis.
- There was a complete absence of right-sided adnexa or testis, and external genitalia were unambiguous.
Conclusions:
- True hermaphroditism can occur without ambiguous external genitalia.
- Late diagnosis is possible in cases presenting with infertility and ejaculatory issues.
- This case expands the understanding of the phenotypic variability in disorders of sexual differentiation.
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