A case of female epispadias without exstrophy treated with a novel vulvoplasty method

Abstract

Epispadias surgery has mainly two components: bladder and genitourethral reconstruction. Herein, a novel vulvoplasty method, an alternative for the latter component, carried out in a rare case of female epispadias was presented. In a 6-year-old girl admitted with complaint of total incontinence, epispadias without evident extrophy associated with adequate bladder capacity was determined. Firstly the vulvoplasty in which a circumferencial skin flap around the urethral meatus was rolled backwards, and secondly bladder neck reconstruction was performed. The vulvoplasty resulted in sufficient cosmetic outcome and continence up to half an hour, and after cervicoplasty total day and night continence at rest or on exertion were obtained. It was concluded that this vulvoplasty with sufficient cosmetic outcome could be considered as a first stage operation in female epispadias, because it could facilitate bladder neck reconstruction by increasing urethral resistance, and contribute to continence.