Is the topical application of oestrogen cream an effective intervention in girls suffering from labial adhesions?

Postmenopausal labial agglutination mimics urinary incontinence and hidden vaginal lesion

Labial agglutination has rarely been reported in postmenopausal women and its treatment has been based on experience with prepubertal girls. We describe an 83-year-old woman who presented with labial agglutination and severe urinary incontinence. She had been treated intermittently with a topical estrogen cream for 3 years, but her symptoms persisted. Surgery was performed and her urinary incontinence was instantly resolved. Incidental vaginal low-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia was noted. Later, the lesion progressed and was confirmed to be condyloma acuminata. No recurrence of labial agglutination was noted 3 months after the surgery. We emphasize that surgical intervention should be the first consideration for labial agglutination with urinary symptoms in postmenopausal women. This case also highlights that surgery can not only resolve patients' symptoms early, but can also enable access to the region for essential gynecologic procedures.

A review of paediatric and adolescent gynaecology services in a tertiary outpatient clinic

Adolescence is a distinctive stage in human development during which many simple and complex medical conditions can present for the first time. Paediatric and adolescent gynaecological conditions need careful multidisciplinary clinical management with a sensitive approach understanding the patients' psychological and physiological circumstances. The objective of this study is to review the tertiary paediatric and adolescent gynaecology service in Leeds, United Kingdom and to present an overview of the various conditions that present to such a clinic. A total of 985 patients were seen over a 16-year period and the increasing number of patients seen over this time establishes the need for such a service to exist. Complex developmental anomalies of the genital tract and disorders of sexual differentiation formed a major portion of the referrals. Presence of a significant number of referrals for simple gynaecological conditions including menstrual irregularities, gynaecological pain, vulvovaginitis, polycystic ovary syndrome and concerns about labial appearance indicates the reluctance of general gynaecologists and general practitioners to manage such conditions in young patients. This emphasizes the need for continued education of primary health care professionals and establishment of clear guidelines and care pathways for the management of this special patient group.

Labial adhesions and outcomes of office management

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate clinical outcomes of labial adhesions (LA) and to examine the association between LA, lichen sclerosus (LS), eczema (ECZ), or asthma.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Single pediatric and adolescent gynecology clinic, Houston, Texas.

PARTICIPANTS

50 girls diagnosed with LA from 2006-2011.

INTERVENTIONS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Resolution, recurrence, single vs multiple treatments, need for surgery, and conditions such as LS, ECZ, and asthma were reviewed.

RESULTS

Mean age was 19.6 months (range 0-84 months), and 48% were Caucasian. Most patients were symptomatic (62%) and all 50 patients chose estrogen treatment. The majority (74%) required multiple treatments, as opposed to a single treatment (26%). Patients with multiple treatments were more likely to be severely agglutinated (P = .05) and to need manual separation after failed topical treatment (P = .08). The prevalence of asthma, LS, and ECZ was 9.8%, 7.8%, and 3.9% respectively. There was no association between LS, ECZ, or asthma, and number of treatments. Both asthma (N = 3; 8%), and LS (N = 2; 5%) were present among the severe agglutinated group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P values .59 and .99). No association with ECZ was seen in either group.

CONCLUSION

Severe agglutination tends to be associated with need of multiple treatments and manual separation. A concurrent diagnosis of LS, ECZ, or asthma was not associated with number of treatments but there appears to be a trend towards severity of LA in patients with asthma and LS.

Use of intranasal midazolam for manual separation of labial adhesions in the office

Use of orally administered flavored midazolam elixir in the office setting has been previously described as an alternative to general anesthetic for manual separation of severe or persistent labial adhesions. We share the technique of using atomized intranasal midazolam for sedation (and amnesia) that has quicker onset, shorter duration, and well described safety and patient tolerance. This technique eliminates the problems associated with a child who refuses to swallow the elixir.

Surgical correction of labial fusion with vaginoplasty in a cat

A spayed female domestic shorthair cat was first examined at the age of 16 months because of persistent licking of the perineal area. The cat had a grossly enlarged and oedematous vulva with pronounced superficial pyoderma of the perivulvar area, which responded favourably to systemic antibiotics, analgesics and local corticosteroids. A month after the initial examination, the cat was re-presented owing to pollakiuria, stranguria and dyschesia. The oedema of the vulva had disappeared and the vulvar labia were fused together; there was only a fistulous tract with a diameter of 1 mm present in the area of the vulva, and the cat strained to urinate through that opening. A contrast study revealed normal transit through the lower urinary tract, but labial adhesions resulted in the development of dilation cranially, where the vaginal vestibule was supposed to be. Vaginoplasty was subsequently performed, the cat recovered normally and, 10 months after the procedure, the lumen of the vaginostoma is preserved and the cat is urinating without difficulty.

Success of treatment modalities for labial fusion: a retrospective evaluation of topical and surgical treatments

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Standard treatment for girls with labial fusion has included topical estrogen cream, manual separation, or surgery. Side effects may limit the use of topical estrogen. Betamethasone has recently shown efficacy at separating labial fusion. Local irritation and inflammation may be an initiator of labial fusion. No adverse effects of betamethasone treatment have been documented. Long-term side effects are unknown. This study compares therapies for conservative management of labial fusion for efficacy and focuses on the response rate, time to separation, recurrence, and side effects of treatment.

DESIGN

A retrospective chart review.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred fifty-one prepubertal girls, mean age 3 years (range 0.25-8.75 years) diagnosed with labial fusion.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

To investigate the incidence of related symptoms, length of topical estrogen or betamethasone treatment, side effects, rate of successful separation, rates of recurrence, percentage requiring surgery, and postoperative outcomes in patients with labial adhesion who underwent treatment.

RESULTS

Of 151 patients with labial adhesion, 11 (7.3%) presented with urinary frequency, 30 (19.9%) with urinary tract infections, 13 (8.6%) with vaginitis, and 19 (12.6%) with post-void dripping. When compared to patients treated with betamethasone (1.3 months), patients treated primarily with premarin took nearly twice as long (2.2 months) for resolution of their adhesions. Rates of recurrence were lower for patients receiving betamethasone therapy. Side effects for estrogen therapy included breast budding and vaginal bleeding, and for betamethasone, local irritation was reported. Some patients went on to surgery and experienced recurrence after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Initial comparison of topical estrogen and betamethasone treatment of labial fusion suggests that betamethasone may separate fusion quicker with less recurrence and fewer side effects than topical estrogen therapy.