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Neovaginoplasty with tilapia fish skin: a series of eleven cases

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Ceará, Avenida Desembargador Moreira, 2120 Equatorial Trade Center-Sala 404-Aldeota, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Ana Talya Soares Torres, Barbara Bezerra Lopes, Amanda Madureira Silva, Zenilda Vieira Bruno, Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes, Carlos Roberto Koscky Paier & Leonardo Robson Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra

  2. Maternity School Assis Chateaubriand at Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Maria Tereza Pinto Medeiros Dias, Zenilda Vieira Bruno & Leonardo Robson Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra

  3. Burn Treatment Center, Instituto Dr. José Frota, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Edmar Maciel Lima Junior

  4. Drug Research and Development Center at Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Manoel Odorico de Moraes Filho

  5. Ceará Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Campus Jaguaribe, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Felipe Augusto Rocha Rodrigues

Authors
  1. Ana Talya Soares Torres
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  2. Barbara Bezerra Lopes
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  3. Amanda Madureira Silva
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  4. Maria Tereza Pinto Medeiros Dias
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  5. Zenilda Vieira Bruno
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  6. Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes
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  7. Edmar Maciel Lima Junior
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  8. Manoel Odorico de Moraes Filho
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  9. Carlos Roberto Koscky Paier
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  10. Felipe Augusto Rocha Rodrigues
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  11. Leonardo Robson Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra
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Contributions

• ATS Torres: Data collection, Manuscript writing

• BB Lopes: Data collection, Manuscript writing

• AM Silva: Data collection, Manuscript editing

• MT Pinto Medeiros Dias: Project development, Data collection

• ZV Bruno: Project development, Data collection

• AP Negreiros Nunes: Management of data analysis

• EM Lima Junior: Project development

• MO de Moraes Filho: Project development

• CR Koscky Paier: Management of data analysis

• FA Rocha Rodrigues: Management of data analysis

• LR Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra: Project development, Data collection

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonardo Robson Pinheiro Sobreira Bezerra.

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Torres, A.T.S., Lopes, B.B., Silva, A.M. et al. Neovaginoplasty with tilapia fish skin: a series of eleven cases. Int Urogynecol J 33, 2185–2193 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-022-05150-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-022-05150-4

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