Vaginal reconstruction with oral mucosal particulate graft for congenital anovagina (stone girl)

       The vagina is the main channel for the discharge of menstrual blood and the delivery of the fetus, and it is also an important organ for female sexuality. Vaginal reconstruction is required for congenital absence of the vagina (known as stone girl) or vaginal atresia due to various congenital diseases and vaginal agenesis or defect caused by various injuries or pelvic dissection after tumor removal and radiation therapy. Congenital vaginal agenesis accounts for a large proportion of patients, with a prevalence of between 1/4000 and 1/10,000 of female newborns.  Congenital vaginal agenesis is mainly due to abnormal development of the paramedian ducts on both sides, which are mostly involved in the formation of the uterus, so patients usually have a combination of uterine dysplasia. The disease is usually detected after a hospital visit due to absence of menstruation during puberty. The clinical treatment is mainly surgical, with the cavity being reconstructed in the normal vaginal anatomy and then covered with various restorative lining materials. Histologically, the structure of the normal vaginal wall is composed of non-keratinized complex squamous epithelial cells, and the closest tissue to achieve the desired functional and morphological results is the oral mucosa, according to the plastic surgery principle of “homogeneity” – that is, repairing the same tissue defect with the same tissue. Most of the oral mucosal epithelium is non-keratinized compound squamous epithelium, and autologous oral mucosa transplantation has a history of more than 100 years. Because of its good graft success rate and relatively hidden donor area, it is now widely used in the repair and reconstruction of urethra, conjunctiva, maxillofacial defects, pharynx and trachea.  Since 2006, we originally applied a mixture of autologous oral mucosa and skin particles for vaginal reconstructive surgery. The reason for applying the particle technique is that the amount of mucosa available from the oral cavity is still too small compared to the amount needed for vaginal reconstruction, so we applied the particle technique in burn plastic surgery. The procedure is simple and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours to complete. The wound in the mouth heals completely in 5 days after the operation without significant pain and without leaving any visible marks; the vaginal reconstruction heals completely in 10 days after the operation with good pink mucosal growth. The tissue section of the reconstructed vagina 1 year after the surgery showed a structure very close to that of a normal female vagina. Moreover, because of the secretory function of the oral mucosa, the reconstructed vagina has a love fluid-like secretion that ensures lubrication during sex without the need for exogenous lubricants. Most importantly, after the surgery, no traces of the surgery can be found on the whole body and there is minimal damage. After nearly 5 years of follow-up, it has been proven that this method is easy for patients to accept because of its low risk, no need for opening the abdomen, high success rate, few complications, no obvious surgical marks and good results in reconstructing the vagina.