Hidden spaces: treatment of an occult uterovaginal septum

Abstract

To describe the unique presentation and surgical management of a complete uterovaginal septum. Video case report. Tertiary care academic medical center. A 25-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 0-0-2-0, referred for evaluation after imaging and clinical examination revealed conflicting information. She was initially seen by her local provider for menorrhagia. Locally an ultrasound revealed a septate uterus, and examination under anesthesia with hysteroscopy noted a single vagina and cervix with a unicornuate uterus. Due to incongruous findings, she was referred for evaluation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), examination under anesthesia, vaginal surgery, and operative hysteroscopy. The MRI identified a complete uterovaginal septum with a single septate cervix. Vaginal gel was used to define vaginal anatomy, and the gel was noted to fill the right hemivagina with none noted on the left. Examination under anesthesia revealed an imperforate hymen with a small opening on the left as the cause for confusion in the clinical presentation. A hymenectomy was performed followed by guided surgical management of a complete uterovaginal septum, unicollis. The patient was discharged home the same day of surgery. Presentation of müllerian anomalies are often complex, and anatomic variations in commonly described anomalies make misdiagnoses common. Advanced imaging with use of MRI with vaginal gel or three-dimensional ultrasonography and detailed examination are often helpful. Differentiating between unicollis and bicollis presentations in complete uterovaginal septum cases is an important distinction during surgical management.