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Updated: Jul 30, 2025

Laparoscopic Oocyte Retrieval and Cryopreservation during Vaginoplasty for Treatment of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome
Published on: May 10, 2022
Rokitansky Syndrome or Cervicovaginal Atresia?
Francesco Fedele1, Fabio Parazzini1, Paolo Vercellini1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Drs. Fedele, Parazzini, and Vercellini), Fondazione "Policlinico-Mangiagalli-Regina Elena" University of Milan, Italy.
Study Objective:
To investigate the possibility of conservative management of rudimentary uterine horns associated with vaginal agenesis.
Design:
Observational study on cohort of consecutive cases treated with the same criteria from 2008 to 2021.
Setting:
Two academic institutions and teaching hospitals in Milan, Italy.
Patients:
Eight patients with vaginal agenesis associated with rudimentary cavitated uterine horns treated by the same team and postoperatively followed.
Interventions:
All the subjects underwent the same standardized surgical procedure: laparoscopy, intraoperative ultrasound, and horn-vestibular direct anastomosis. Postoperatively vaginoscopy was performed every 6 months.
Measurements And Main Results:
The postoperative course was generally uneventful and the mean hospital stay was 4.3 ± 2.5 (SD) days. All the patients began to menstruate a few months after the operation. Menstrual flows were light but regular. All patients had a neovaginal length > 4 cm at 1 year postoperatively, reaching approximately 6 cm at 2 years. During the follow-up period, 5 patients were sexually active without dyspareunia. In all cases, surgery restored the continuity of the neovagina and uterine horn through the creation of a "vaginal-horn fistula tract."
Conclusion:
In patients with vaginal agenesis associated with the presence of a uterine cavitary horn, it is possible to recover not only sexual activity but also menstrual function. The horn-vestibular anastomosis may be considered a valid, safe, and effective therapeutic option but requires accurate preoperative and intraoperative evaluation of rudimentary uterine structures.
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